Plimpton-Winter House
Also known as: Foxboro Savings Bank
Why it's listed
Built in 1868 at 127 South Street in Wrentham, this two-story Italianate house was constructed for Francis N. Plimpton, a longtime director of the National Bank of Wrentham, town treasurer and noted gardener. Murray Winter, co-founder of the Winter Brothers Tap and Dye Factory, bought it in 1915, and his family kept it until 1981. The wood-frame house has a square plan, three bays across, a low hipped roof, a granite foundation and a rear ell. Its bracketed cornices, pedimented windows with medallions, and decorated entry porch show a full range of high-style Italianate detail, which is unusual in this part of southeastern Massachusetts, where most examples are five-bay and gable-roofed. The architect is unknown, and the design probably came from a pattern book. Rehabilitated as a bank branch, the building keeps its original site, exterior character and several interior features, including marble fireplaces and a carved staircase balustrade.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be the finest and most intact of Wrentham's few Italianate residences, with a square, three-bay, hip-roofed form unusual in southeastern Massachusetts. It is also associated with two prominent local business leaders, Francis Plimpton and Murray Winter. Its design was probably taken from a pattern book.
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 85003071, listed December 5, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 127 South St., Wrentham |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | December 5, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003071 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated and in use as the Wrentham Branch of the Foxboro Savings Bank, with the first floor serving as the bank and the second floor as offices; the interior was carefully altered for the change from residence to bank. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.06494, -71.32999 (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 85003071.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7204978
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.