Turner, Stephen, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1712, this farmhouse at 187 Seekonk Street in Norfolk, Massachusetts, was constructed by John Turner, a founding settler of neighboring Medfield, for his son Stephen on his marriage to Judith Fisher. The two and one half story, five bay house follows the center entry, center chimney plan typical of the early to mid eighteenth century. It has unpainted clapboards, mostly 9/6 sash windows, and an entrance framed by fluted pilasters and a triangular pediment. Inside are raised field paneling, wide floor boards and cased structural members. A three bay wing, added around 1800, may actually be the oldest part. In 1792 the house passed to Elisha Sayles, whose sons Willard and Ariel operated mills including the Stony Brook Cotton Mill, and some of the more elaborate details may date from that period. The property once covered about 100 acres of farmland. It stayed largely undisturbed until the farm was subdivided in 1940. It was listed for its architectural quality and its links to prominent local families.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the quality of the house's architectural detail and its associations with several prominent Norfolk families. These include the Turners and the Sayles family, who were wealthy mill owners. The house remained largely undisturbed until 1940 and is described as an important example of Norfolk's early history.
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 79002682, listed May 10, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N of Norfolk at 187 Seekonk St., Norfolk |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | May 10, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002682 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 (specific date 1712) |
| Architect / builder | John Turner (builder, for his son Stephen) |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; the form says the house had heat, plumbing and electricity added in 1940, and it has an asphalt shingle roof. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.14607, -71.30846 (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 79002682.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7610720
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.