Bradford, Capt. Gershom, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1807-1808 by sea captain Gershom Bradford, this two-story Federal style house at 931 Tremont Street in Duxbury sits on nearly ten acres of landscaped grounds. The main block is five bays wide with chimneys at each gable end, and a hip-roofed ell extends from the rear. Clapboard covers rough brick on the side walls, and the front walk is laid with volcanic stone blocks that Bradford brought from Italy as ballast. Inside, hand-wrought moldings, original wallpaper in two front rooms and much Bradford family furniture remain. Gershom Bradford went to sea at seventeen, became a master around 1800, and drove off a French privateer after his brother and captain was wounded. He retired in 1826 after 35 years at sea. His family kept the house for 161 years until giving it to the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society in 1968. It is recognized for its Federal design and its link to Duxbury's seafaring and shipbuilding heritage.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for the simple quality of its early 19th century Federal design and for its association with the Bradford family, who owned it from 1807 to 1968. It also reflects the life of a successful seafaring family during Duxbury's peak shipbuilding era. Areas of significance are listed as industry and seafaring.
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 78001403, listed February 8, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W of Duxbury at 931 Tremont St., Duxbury |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | February 8, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001403 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Captain Gershom Bradford |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society and used as a museum; the ell is occupied year round as a security measure. Condition is marked good. |
| Acreage | 9.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.03800, -70.68858 (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 78001403.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5036428
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.