Bullard, Isaac, House
Why it's listed
Isaac Bullard House, at 77 Ashland Street in Holliston, is a clapboard saltbox dating to around 1710. Its First Period core consists of the eastern rooms and chimney bay. A western bay and a rear leanto were added in the later eighteenth century. The frame of the original section is quirk-beaded with runout stops on the exposed plates and summer beams. Its second-story summer beam runs lengthwise, an unusual feature. The attic roof keeps its original common-rafter system, with Roman numeral carpenter's markings on the oldest rafters. A cellar under the eastern half of the leanto suggests that the rear leanto may be early or even original. The house was altered around 1930, when the chimney and front stairs were replaced, and modern additions include a porch and a gabled ell. It was listed for its surviving early framing and plan, which show how First Period building practices continued into the early eighteenth century.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C for embodying late First Period structural carpentry and interior planning. It is a good example of early eighteenth-century exposed framing with quirk-beaded members. Its longitudinal second-story summer beam is unusual and may relate to the Middlesex County continuation of a common/principal rafter roof system.
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 90000171, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 77 Ashland St., Holliston |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000171 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | First Period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good; the building is in use as a residence. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 42.22837, -71.43511 (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 90000171.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6076095
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.