Bullen-Stratton-Cozzen House
Why it's listed
Set on a rise looking south over meadows and distant hills, this house at 52 Brush Hill Road in Sherborn grew in stages over more than two centuries. Its eastern portion dates to the late 17th century, when Deacon Samuel Bullen built what may have been a small First Period house with an integral lean-to. Around 1760, the Strattons probably enlarged it into a five-bay Georgian house with a central entrance, steep end-gable roof, narrow 9/6 windows and a "Beverly jog" ell. A Greek Revival entrance with sidelights and a variation of the Greek key motif was added around 1840. By the 1890s it was a summer home for the Fay family, and a Colonial Revival screened porch dates to about 1910. The property was listed because its changing use mirrors Sherborn's development, because it shows early building techniques, and because it is a fine, well-preserved 18th century farmhouse with later changes.
Significance in brief: The house's history of use reflects Sherborn's development from dispersed early settlement to an agricultural and light industrial community and then a summer resort (Criterion A). It helps show early construction techniques and style change in a peripheral settlement area (Criterion D). It is also a fine 18th century farmhouse with later modifications (Criterion C).
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 86000496, listed January 3, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 52 Brush Hill Rd., Sherborn |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | January 3, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000496 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Deacon Samuel Bullen (built the earliest portion in the late 17th century) |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Greek Revival and Colonial Revival elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; a mid-20th-century garage with guest cottage is a non-contributing outbuilding. |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.25421, -71.40119 (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 86000496.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4996753
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.