Bradford, Captain Daniel, House
Why it's listed
Captain Daniel Bradford built this five-bay, two-story Federal house in 1808, a year after becoming master of his own ship, the Brutus. It sits on a knoll set back from Harrison Street in Duxbury, with a hipped roof, a pedimented entrance with sidelights and fanlight, and a granite foundation. A western ell and a barn of about the same date complete the property. Bradford sold the house in 1811 to Jacob Smith, another sea captain, whose son Moxon also lived there. The Bradford family regained it in 1865, and Lawrence Bradford enlarged the ell in 1885. Duxbury's shipbuilding boom of roughly 1780 to 1840 produced many such captains' houses, and the town's later economic decline left them largely unaltered. The house is valued as a well-preserved Federal design, for its links to that maritime era, and for its association with three shipmasters. Possible archaeological remains near the house and barn are also noted as significant.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a well-executed and well-preserved example of Federal architecture. It reflects Duxbury's brief period of maritime growth and prosperity in the early 19th century. It was also the home of Daniel Bradford and later of Jacob and Moxon Smith, all shipmasters and sea captains.
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 86000301, listed February 20, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 251 Harrison St., Duxbury |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | February 20, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000301 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition; remains a single-family private residence. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 42.03931, -70.68511 (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 86000301.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5036617
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.