Old Shipbuilder's Historic District
Why it's listed
Along Washington Street in Duxbury Village, beside Duxbury Bay, a two-mile district preserves one of the best collections of Federal-period architecture in Massachusetts. More than forty Federal-style houses were built here between about 1790 and 1830 for shipbuilders and sea captains, alongside earlier gambrel-roofed cottages and later Greek Revival homes, churches, a bank and a store. Highlights include the Second Nathaniel Winsor House of 1807, a three-story brick-ended mansion, and a row of shipbuilders' houses on Powder Point Avenue. Duxbury's shipyards peaked around 1840, then major builders moved to Boston and the town's economy declined sharply. Little new construction followed, so the houses survived largely unchanged. Summer residents arriving after the 1871 railroad added some Shingle Style and Colonial Revival dwellings. The district is significant as a visible record of the town's short maritime boom, and it also has high potential for archaeological remains of shipyards and homesites.
Significance in brief: The district holds one of the finest and best preserved collections of Federal-period buildings, especially residences, in Massachusetts. These houses were built by sea captains and shipbuilders during Duxbury's brief shipbuilding prosperity. Decline after about 1840 halted new construction and left the buildings largely intact.
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 86001899, listed August 21, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Both sides of Washington St. from Powder Point Ave. to N of South Duxbury, Duxbury |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | August 21, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001899 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Federal, with Georgian, Greek Revival, Colonial Revival, Shingle and Queen Anne examples |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Community Planning and Development, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, with houses well maintained and well preserved; 42 mid-20th century intrusions noted. Properties are occupied and in residential, commercial, religious and other uses. |
| Acreage | 287 |
| Coordinates | 42.03645, -70.67131 (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 86001899.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7084970
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.