Woodcock-Hatch-Maxcy House Historic District
Also known as: Woodcock Garrison House Historic District
Why it's listed
Located at the junction of North Washington and East Washington Streets in North Attleborough, this 2.1-acre district centers on a two-and-a-half-story plank-framed house built about 1715-1720 by John Daggett. Known locally as the Woodcock Garrison House, it is probably not the original garrison, which stood about thirty feet away and was razed in 1806. The house is a rare Massachusetts example of a stone-ender, with a large masonry mass at one gable end, a two-room plan and a half cellar. The district also includes a burial ground across the street, with 112 stones from 1723 to 1825, and a relocated c. 1850 schoolhouse. The site began with John Woodcock's 1670 ordinary on the main route between Boston and Rhode Island. Later the Maxcy and Hatch families ran a tavern and inn here. Jonathan Maxcy, second president of Brown University, was born in the house in 1768. The Historical Society now operates it as a museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is the only known stone-ender variant in Massachusetts and an early, unusual building type. It is also tied to the 1670 Woodcock settlement and ordinary, the later Maxcy and Hatch tavern families, and Jonathan Maxcy, second president of Brown University. The burial ground holds 112 stones dating from 1723 to 1825.
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 90001081, listed July 12, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 362 N. Washington St., North Attleborough |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 12, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001081 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1670-c. 1890 |
| Architect / builder | John Daggett |
| Architectural style | Colonial/Post medieval English (stone-ender) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned and operated as a museum by the North Attleborough Historical Society and open to the public regularly; the house was restored in 1957. |
| Acreage | 2.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.99313, -71.33014 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 90001081.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8032520
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.