Barrett, Col. James, Farm
Why it's listed
This farm at 448 Barrett's Mill Road in Concord centers on a two-and-one-half-story frame farmhouse that grew in stages. The eastern end dates from 1705 as a one-room, one-story house. About 1720 the western end was built and a second story added, producing a five-bay facade with a center entrance and large central chimney. A three-story wing followed around 1760, and a woodshed wing was added in the mid-nineteenth century. Late nineteenth-century changes included enlarged windows, a bracketed door hood and new clapboards. Inside, the 1720 paneling and featheredge stair sheathing survive. The property was the home of Colonel James Barrett, who commanded the militia and stored powder, flour and cannon on his land for the Committee of Public Safety. The British march of April 19, 1775 sought him and the supplies, but the arms had been moved and he was at the North Bridge. The farm passed from father to son until 1894. Six acres remain in farming, with fields and eighteenth-century fieldstone walls.
Significance in brief: The farm was the home of Colonel James Barrett, a Revolutionary War patriot who commanded the local militia and stored military supplies on the property. The British march on Concord on April 19, 1775 aimed partly to arrest him and search his farm. The house also illustrates New England farmhouse development from 1705 through the nineteenth century.
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 73000290, listed November 15, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 448 Barrett's Mill Rd., Concord |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | November 15, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000290 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by Colonel Barrett's father in 1705; no architect named |
| Architectural style | Typical New England farmhouse |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence on a working farm; condition listed as fair and altered; the two detached barns and the woodshed wing are in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 42.47293, -71.38083 (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 73000290.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5141768
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.