Walker School
Why it's listed
Built in 1895 on Berkley Street in Taunton, this brick school was originally called the East Weir School. Architect E.A. Crane designed it, F.D. Williams built it, and prominent local businessman William Ellery Walker donated the land. The building is largely rectangular, with a rear ell, a hipped roof and large chimneys. It rises two stories above an exposed basement. Georgian Revival influence shows in the central doorway topped by a semi-circular arch, in the quoined corners, and in the regularly placed 6/6 and 6/2 sash windows. Additions were made in 1906 and 1924. It remains in use as a school owned by the City of Taunton and is described as the third oldest Taunton school in continuous use. It was listed because it represents restrained Georgian Revival institutional design and reflects a time of educational reform and a growing city population. The nomination finds that it retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a good local example of restrained Georgian Revival institutional architecture. It was built during a period of educational reform and population growth in the city. It is also described as the third oldest Taunton school in continuous use.
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 84002257, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Berkley St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002257 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect E.A. Crane; built by F.D. Williams |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival influence |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a school; altered by additions in 1906 and 1924. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.88229, -71.05253 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 84002257.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7962315
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.