Staples, Sylvanus N., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1837 at 21 Second Street in Taunton, this clapboard house is a 2½-story Greek Revival side hall residence with a recessed, 2½-story wing with bay windows set at right angles. A one-story porch on fluted columns covers the facade and part of the side elevation. Corner pilasters and a full roof entablature create a pedimented gable. It is regarded as one of the city's best preserved examples of a large but restrained transitional Greek Revival/Italianate house. Sylvanus N. Staples, born in 1811, had it built as his home. He rose from cabin boy to sloop master by 18, traded along the coast of the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico, and started a flour and grocery shipping business in 1836. Later he formed a large iron, coal and lime freighting firm. The house was once part of an estate with workers' housing, barns, a greenhouse and landscaped grounds. He lived there until his death in 1893.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to Sylvanus N. Staples, a prosperous merchant who made his fortune in ocean freighting and the sea trade, and to his coal, iron and lime freighting business. It is also considered one of Taunton's best preserved examples of a large but restrained transitional Greek Revival/Italianate house. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84002217, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 21 Second St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002217 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (transitional Greek Revival/Italianate) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as a residence; the form gives its present use as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 41.88651, -71.09304 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84002217.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7660724
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.