Tisdale-Morse House
Why it's listed
Built in 1835 for Samuel Trescott Tisdale, this Greek Revival house at 17 Fayette Place in Taunton was once the centerpiece of an extensive landed estate stretching west to School Street, south to Main Street and east to Cedar Street. It has a central hall plan and sits on a high brick foundation. A one-story portico with full-length fluted columns wraps around three sides. The central entrance has a leaded transom and sidelights set into a boldly molded surround with cornerblocks, and six-over-six sash windows appear throughout. In the 1850s Lovett Morse, president of the Taunton National Bank, bought the property and kept it intact until his death in the 1870s, after which parcels were sold as the neighborhood developed. The house is considered one of the last surviving early 19th century estate residences in Taunton, and it is valued both for its association with Morse and as a well-preserved example of Greek Revival design. It is now used as apartments.
Significance in brief: It is described as one of the very last standing examples of early 19th century estate architecture in Taunton. It is associated with Lovett Morse, an early president of what is described as the first bank founded in southeast Massachusetts (1812). It is also an excellent local example of a traditional five-bay central-entry house with characteristic Greek Revival detailing.
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 84002231, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 17 Fayette Pl., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002231 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is apartments; the form states the building has not been altered or moved. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.90438, -71.09061 (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 84002231.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7809544
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.