Harlow, Sgt. William, Family Homestead
Also known as: Harlow-Holmes House; Kendall-Holmes House
Why it's listed
Set on a gentle slope about 300 feet from Plymouth Harbor, this wood-frame house at 8 Winter Street grew in stages. The main block is a five-bay, 1 1/2 story gambrel dating to about 1750-1770, with a center chimney and a later two-story ell from the 1860s or 1870s. The eastern half of the gambrel is earlier than the western half, which roughly doubled the house with a parlor, dining room and two chambers above. Records indicate Sgt. William Harlow built a house here around 1653, and ten generations of his family lived on the site until 1979. Examination of the present structure found no details earlier than about 1750, so the existing building likely replaced Harlow's original dwelling. It was listed as an excellent example of early gambrel-roofed framing and as a record of one family's growing needs. The long-occupied site may also contain archaeological evidence of seventeenth-century house forms and daily life in Plymouth County.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent example of early wood-frame, gambrel-roofed construction, meeting Criterion C. Its growth from a smaller house to one more than twice the size reflects one family's changing needs and fortunes, making it an architectural and social document. The site, occupied since the mid-17th century, may also hold archaeological evidence of early Plymouth County domestic life.
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 82004434, listed April 15, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 8 Winter St., Plymouth |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | April 15, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004434 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1750-1770 (possibly 1653) |
| Architectural style | Second Period (or perhaps earlier) wood-frame gambrel-roofed dwelling |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and occupied as a private residence; it was formerly a family homestead museum in the mid-twentieth century, and the family sold it in 1979. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.95168, -70.65372 (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 82004434.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7459790
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.