Hatch Homestead and Mill Historic District
Also known as: The Red House
Why it's listed
Set off Union Street in the Two Mile section of northern Marshfield, this 10.7-acre district joins a colonial farmhouse with a working-era mill complex. The Hatch Homestead, known as the Red House, is a five-bay, central-chimney timber-framed house likely dating to the early or mid 18th century. Its plank framing, exposed beams, winder stair and painted leopard-spot kitchen finish reflect building practices of the former Plymouth Colony region. Nearby, the Hatch Mill is a T-shaped timber-framed building. Its eastern sawmill core was built about 1812 by Joel Hatch, and the two-story box mill was added about 1859. The mill still holds its log carriage, saw-frame dados, driveshaft and traces of a breast-shot water wheel. The mill pond, dam, stone culvert and tailrace complete the setting. Generations of the Hatch family farmed here and ran fulling, grist, saw and box mills, giving the district a clear record of local rural industry in Marshfield.
Significance in brief: The district shows how one family combined farming and milling in the Two Mile area over several generations. The house preserves early construction features typical of the former Plymouth Colony region, including plank framing and the leopard-spot kitchen decoration. The mill retains much of its framing and the remains of its waterpower system, along with the pond, dam, culvert and tailrace.
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 09000698, listed September 11, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 385 Union St., Marshfield |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | September 11, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000698 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Joel Hatch (built the 1812 sawmill) |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Hatch Homestead remains a single dwelling with some museum use; the mill has been restored in several phases between the 1970s and 1983. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 42.12306, -70.76980 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 09000698.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16994926
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.