Vickery-Baylies House
Why it's listed
Built in 1830 at 56 Summer Street in Taunton, this Greek Revival house is a large, simply designed residence of the kind erected for the city's rising industrialist and merchant classes. It has a central hall plan, a gable end facing the street, and a one-story portico on fluted columns that wraps around the facade and one side. Large eave returns and chimneys emphasize the roofline. The builder is recorded as either John Williams or Charles Richmond, an early mill operator. By 1842 it belonged to Charles Vickery, a textile manufacturer, banker and postmaster and the son of a sea captain and merchant. The Vickery family kept it until 1899, when it passed to Nathaniel Fish, who served as mayor of Taunton from 1897 to 1899. Together with the Tisdale-Morse Estate, it is one of the only standing central-hall Greek Revival buildings in the central area. A late twentieth-century office addition at the rear is the main alteration noted.
Significance in brief: The house is a rare surviving example of the simply designed, large-scale residences built in the Greek Revival period for Taunton's rising industrialist and merchant classes. It and the Tisdale-Morse Estate are the only standing central-hall Greek Revival buildings in the central area. It is also associated with Charles Vickery, a textile manufacturer, banker and postmaster, and with Nathaniel Fish, mayor of Taunton from 1897 to 1899.
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 84002252, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 56 Summer St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002252 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence and doctor's office; an office was added at the rear in the late 20th century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.89981, -71.08709 (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 84002252.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7925352
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.