Vickery, Capt. David, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1795, this brick cottage at 33 Plain Street in Taunton has a gambrel roof, a form that is very rare in brick. It is described as the city's only surviving brick gambrel-roofed cottage from the Federal period. The house is believed to have been built for Captain David Vickery and his wife, Priscilla Barnum. Vickery commanded the deep-water schooner Hannah and was one of the merchants and traders who did business in eastern seaboard coastal towns and in the West Indies in the early 19th century. He is counted among the early sea captains of Weir Village. The couple's son Charles, born in 1800, later became a local politician, merchant and auctioneer. The house has had some changes, including added entrance awnings and removed chimneys, along with a new garage, but it is judged to retain integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. It was listed for its link to Taunton's early maritime tradition and for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a very rare brick gambrel-roofed cottage and the city's sole surviving example of that type from the Federal period. It is also tied to Captain David Vickery, an early sea captain of Weir Village who traded along the eastern seaboard and in the West Indies. It is cited under criteria B and C.
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 84002254, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 33 Plain St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002254 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Gambrel (Federal period brick gambrel-roofed cottage) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a residence; a new garage has been added, entrance awnings added and chimneys removed. The house has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.88456, -71.08640 (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 84002254.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5036415
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.