Holbrook, Charles, House
Why it's listed
Set on a knoll behind a semicircular drive at 137 South Main Street in Sherborn, this small house was built about 1870-1875 for Charles Holbrook. Though little more than a cottage in scale, it carries features found on much grander Second Empire residences: bracketed porches, a polygonal bay, ornate dormer surrounds and a slate-covered mansard roof. The original multipaneled front door and granite steps survive, and the interior has fine woodwork throughout. Holbrook was a son of Jonathan Holbrook, a Sherborn cider maker. Father and son operated a mill on Forest Street from 1853 until 1897 that was known as the world's largest of its kind, and the quality of this house reflects that success. It was built along the town's main road, a short distance from the mill. The house is regarded as the best of only a few Second Empire buildings in Sherborn and has seen no major alterations. A similar house on Washington Street lost its mansard roof to fire in the 1940s.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the finest Second Empire-style house in Sherborn, with high-style details unusual for a house of its small scale. It is also tied to the Holbrook family, whose cider mill was known as the world's largest. It retains integrity of setting, design, materials, location, feeling and workmanship.
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 86000502, listed January 3, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 137 S. Main St., Sherborn |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | January 3, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000502 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence, same as original use; no major alterations; barn/garage outbuilding on the property. |
| Acreage | 6.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.22548, -71.36242 (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 86000502.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5079079
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.