Woodward, William, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1800 at 117 Arlington Street in Taunton, this two-story Federal style house has a symmetrical five-bay facade with a center entry. A low hip roof with a modillion cornice caps the building, and chimneys rise at the end walls. The front and rear are clad in shingle, while the brick end walls have belt courses and segmental window openings, details that suggest a date no later than 1800. Windows with simple surrounds keep their original six-over-six sash. A shed roof hood over the entry was added around 1870. In 1866 the house was sold to the Old Colony and Newport Railroad and served as a depot until a purpose-built station opened in 1876. That railroad use ties it to Taunton's nineteenth century growth, and together with its well-preserved Federal design and brick-ended form, it supports its recognition as a local landmark.
Significance in brief: The house is an excellent local example of the Federal style, distinguished by its brick end walls. It is also associated with Taunton's 19th century development, because it served as the Old Colony and Newport Railroad depot from 1866 until a station was built in 1876.
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 85001529, listed July 10, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 117 Arlington St., Taunton |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | July 10, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001529 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as retaining integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship; the form lists its present use as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.90481, -71.08207 (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 85001529.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8020558
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.