Laflin-Phelps Homestead
Why it's listed
Set on a low rise on the east side of Southwick Center, this Federal-style farmhouse is a 2½-story, five-bay building with a front-gable roof, clapboard siding and quoins at the corners. The south and west entrances have fanlight surrounds, and the gable holds an oval oculus with filigree glazing. Inside, a modified center-hall plan includes carved and reeded Federal mantels, rope-molded woodwork, red pine floors and a kitchen fireplace with crane and bake oven. A rear ell and attached carriage shed were added in the nineteenth century, and a privy, milk house, equipment barn and barn foundations survive nearby. The Laflin family, prosperous farmers whose members also made gunpowder, built and enlarged the homestead; Heman Laflin Jr. served in the state legislature in 1855. Marcus Phelps bought the farm in 1865, and his descendants continued farming it. The property is valued for its intact architecture and its complete farmstead setting, which keeps much of its nineteenth-century rural character.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the property as a well-preserved example of a Federal-style New England farmstead, retaining interior woodwork, a kitchen fireplace with bake oven, and a group of agricultural outbuildings. It is also tied to the Laflin family, who were prosperous farmers and gunpowder manufacturers active in town affairs, and to the Phelps family, who farmed it from 1865 onward.
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 05001371, listed December 6, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 20 depot St., Southwick |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | December 6, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001371 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Early Republic/Federal |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling with agricultural outbuildings; the English-style barn was demolished in 2004, leaving its stone foundations. |
| Acreage | 27.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.05449, -72.76572 (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 05001371.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6471705
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.