Badger, Rev. Stephen, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1753, this timber-frame house at 87 Eliot Street in Natick was the home of Rev. Stephen Badger, the last of the town's Indian missionaries. It has two and a half stories, a symmetrical five-bay facade, a high hip roof, two interior chimneys and a one-story rear ell. Natick was founded in 1650 as a settlement for Indians converted to Christianity, and Badger became its minister in 1753. During his ministry he had to balance the wishes of growing numbers of white settlers against his duties to the remaining Indians and to the English society that supported his mission. Around 1880 the house received a central gable, double doors and other Victorian details. A 1949 restoration returned it to its earlier look, using a photograph from about 1870. It is valued as a well-preserved local example of eighteenth-century domestic architecture, and as a site that may hold archaeological evidence of cultural exchange. Later, the property passed to Oliver Bacon, whose estate funded the Bacon Free Library.
Significance in brief: The house is an excellent local example of eighteenth-century domestic architecture, with twin chimneys, a high hip roof and a pedimented doorway. It is also tied to Natick's settlement history as the home of Stephen Badger, the last of Natick's Indian missionaries. The property may also hold archaeological value relating to the town's Christian Indian settlement.
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 80000647, listed April 1, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 87 Eliot St., Natick |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 1, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000647 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architect / builder | Builder Unknown |
| Architectural style | Eighteenth-century domestic architecture (hip-roofed, five-bay frame house) |
| Areas of significance | Historic - Aboriginal, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; condition marked excellent. Altered around 1880 with Victorian details and restored to its pre-Victorian appearance in 1949. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.26997, -71.31813 (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 80000647.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715825
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.