Redman Farm House
Why it's listed
Redman Farm House is a clapboard farm house at the corner of Washington Street and Homans Lane in Canton, Massachusetts. It was built in 1795 or 1796 in the Federal style by a descendant of Robert Redman, who first leased the land from the Ponkapoag Indians in 1725. Deeds trace the farm back to the seventeenth century, and its stream, fairly level meadows and good soil made it well suited to agriculture. The house retains several Federal mantels, some Federal sash and other Greek Revival elements, and the interior was altered in the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A barn and other outbuildings accompany it. In the mid- to late nineteenth century the farm gained social and cultural prominence when the writer Thomas Bailey Aldrich and his family entertained other notable American writers there. Later the property served as a golf course residence and groundskeeper's home. It is part of the Blue Hills and Neponset River Reservations area and is now vacant.
Significance in brief: The farm appears in deeds back to the seventeenth century, and the house keeps Federal mantels, some Federal sash and Greek Revival elements. It gained social and cultural prominence in the mid- to late nineteenth century, when writer Thomas Bailey Aldrich and his family entertained other notable American writers there. The form checks agricultural and architectural themes.
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 80000664, listed September 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Corner of Washington St. and Homans La., Canton |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | September 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000664 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by a descendant of Robert Redman |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is listed as vacant; the property is owned by the Metropolitan District Commission. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.19194, -71.11037 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 80000664.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7306083
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.