Page, Nathaniel, House
Also known as: The Page Homestead
Why it's listed
Built in 1687 by Nathaniel Page, this farmhouse at 89 Page Road is among the oldest surviving buildings in Bedford, Massachusetts. It originally had three ells and an attached barn. Between 1887 and 1891 two large ells were removed and the house was moved several hundred yards west onto a new stone foundation, leaving an L-plan, 2½-story building with red clapboards, white trim and a central hall plan. Inside, it retains old wainscoting, original ceiling beams, gunstock corner posts and two original staircases. The house matters for its link to the Page family, who owned it for eight generations and were respected farmers and town officeholders involved in incorporating Bedford in 1729. The family also kept the Bedford Flag, an English-made banner carried by Cornet Nathaniel Page at Concord's Old North Bridge in 1775 and presented to the town in 1885.
Significance in brief: The house is considered one of the oldest structures remaining in Bedford. It was owned by eight successive generations of the Page family, who were prominent farmers and town leaders. The family kept the Bedford Flag, regarded as the oldest flag in the United States, which Nathaniel Page carried at Concord in 1775.
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 78000433, listed March 29, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 89 Page Rd., Bedford |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | March 29, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000433 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1687 |
| Architect / builder | Nathaniel Page |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence; altered by removal of two large ells and relocation in the late 1880s, with the original barn on adjoining land owned by another party. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.49378, -71.26274 (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 78000433.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6969797
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.