Burgess, Thornton W., House
Also known as: Laughing Brook Education and Wildlife Sanctuary
Why it's listed
Built between 1780 and 1784 by Calvin Stebbins, a member of one of Hampden's pioneer families, this small farmhouse sits against the south slope of one of the Wilbraham Mountains on Main Street. It is a cellarless, 1½-story wood-frame cottage with a central brick chimney, a rear kitchen ell, gray cedar-shingle siding and 12/12 windows. Inside, a steep, narrow staircase, gunstock posts, a large stone fireplace with a beehive oven and wide-board doors on wrought iron hinges show its age. It is the oldest house remaining on Main Street. Thornton W. Burgess, author of children's nature stories published in more than 70 books, bought the property in 1928 and used it as a summer home, then as his permanent residence until his death in 1965. He wrote in a studio and in the barn and drew the local landscape into his stories. The Massachusetts Audubon Society bought the eighteen acres in 1966 for an education center and wildlife sanctuary.
Significance in brief: The house is primarily significant for its association with Thornton W. Burgess, a naturalist, conservationist and children's author who owned it from 1928 to 1965. It is also locally important as an intact example of late 18th century spare, functional domestic design, built by a descendant of Hampden's first settlers.
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 83000740, listed April 21, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 789 Main St., Hampden |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | April 21, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000740 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1780-84; 1928-1965 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built by Calvin Stebbins, according to the statement of significance) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular farmhouse; central chimney cottage (described by local supporters as Cape Cod) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Conservation, Literature, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in educational and museum use as part of a wildlife sanctuary; the house was being restored to the period of Burgess's occupation. |
| Acreage | 18 |
| Coordinates | 42.06356, -72.40598 (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 83000740.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7796565
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.