Williams, Francis D., House
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Plain and Berkeley Streets in Taunton's Weir Village, this brick house was built around 1830 in the Greek Revival style. It rises two and a half stories under a broad gable and has a central hall plan, with central entrances on both street fronts. The doors have fluted trim, corner blocks, louvered transoms, sidelights and granite lintels, and granite also trims the two-over-two sash windows. An older ell extends to the east, and a two-story brick and frame addition dates from the 19th century. The exact construction date and early history are unclear, but the building was tied to the prominent Williams family and may have been built by Francis D. Williams. Its size and riverfront location suggest it also housed workers in the coastal trade. By 1857 his widow, Corilla Williams, lived there. It was listed as the only surviving large brick Greek Revival residence in Taunton and for its maritime associations.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the house is the only surviving large-scale brick Greek Revival residence in Taunton and a landmark of Weir Village. It is notable for its imposing scale, fine period details and nearly unaltered condition. It also reflects the maritime tradition of Weir Village in the 19th century and its link to the Williams family.
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 84002282, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3 Plain St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002282 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; may have been built by Francis D. Williams |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is apartments; described as virtually unaltered, with a 19th-century addition and a non-contributing 20th-century concrete block garage. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.88550, -71.08873 (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 84002282.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5480676
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.