Williams, N.S., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1855 at 1150 Middleboro Avenue in Taunton, this clapboard house is a cross-gabled Italianate residence that keeps nearly all of its original trim and detailing. A central gable lifts the facade into a pavilion, and a one-story porch wraps two sides on chamfered posts with pendant brackets. Windows are two-over-two with cap-molded lintels, the gables hold paired round-arched windows, and a large bulls-eye window marks the central gable. N. S. Williams, a landowner and rural mill operator associated with the pond-side industrial site known as King's Furnace, moved from Lakeville to Taunton between 1854 and 1858 and is thought to have built it as his home, though no property transactions confirm this. The architect is unknown. The house is considered one of the five best Italianate examples remaining in Taunton and was listed for its architectural quality and its integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. It remains a residence.
Significance in brief: The house is a well-preserved example of a cross-gabled Italianate house that keeps its period trim and details, including an elaborate bracketed porch. It is described as one of the five best Italianate examples remaining in Taunton. It is listed under Criterion C for its architecture and its integrity.
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 84002285, listed July 5, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1150 Middleboro Ave., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 5, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002285 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; the form states it is unaltered and has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 41.88195, -71.00021 (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 84002285.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6951783
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.