Morse, Daniel, III, House
Why it's listed
Located at 210 Farm Road in Sherborn, this shingled house began about 1710 as a single-pile half house with an end chimney, built by Daniel Morse III. Later in the 18th century it was enlarged into a five-bay, center-entry building with a central chimney, and a rear ell was added still later. The saltbox profile survives, and the entry is topped by a multipane transom and a simple Georgian-style pediment. The house is one of roughly six First Period houses in Sherborn. It stands on land from an 800-acre tract bought by Daniel Morse Sr. in 1656, extending from the Charles River to the foot of Meetinghouse Hill and known as "The Farm." The Morse family kept the house until the late 18th century, and the Clark family, later owners, may have enlarged it. The property keeps evidence of changing building practices in a rural community and of early scattered settlement along the river. A barn and chicken coop stand nearby.
Significance in brief: It is one of about six First Period houses in Sherborn and shows changing architectural practices in a rural community. It is also tied to the Morse family, early English settlers who held an 800-acre grant known as "The Farm," and reflects early settlement patterns along the Charles River.
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 86000505, listed January 3, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 210 Farm Rd., Sherborn |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | January 3, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000505 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Daniel Morse III (built the core of the house, ca. 1710) |
| Architectural style | First Period; Georgian-style entryway |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; barn and chicken coop remain as outbuildings. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.23475, -71.33635 (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 86000505.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5218195
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.