Pierce, Peter, Store
Also known as: Middleborough Police Department
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of North Main and Jackson Streets in the center of Middleborough, this Greek Revival building was constructed around 1825-30 as a retail store for Peter Hoar Peirce. A two-story main block faces the street gable-end, fronted by a two-story tetrastyle portico with Greek Doric columns and a pediment holding a segmental fanlight. Peirce, who lived from 1788 to 1861, was a merchant, money lender, mill and shovel works owner, state legislator from 1826 to 1828, and an early promoter of the railroad. His family ran the store until 1901, and the Pratt brothers kept it going until 1935, when the town bought it. The wings were then rebuilt as mirror images and the building became offices for the police and the Fourth District Court. Its scale, massing and setback are unchanged, and it remains one of the few original commercial buildings in town and a focal point of Main Street.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the store is an architectural focal point of Middleborough and one of the few original commercial buildings still standing there. It is also closely tied to Peter Peirce, a merchant, mill owner, legislator and railroad promoter who was a central figure in the town's nineteenth century life. Its scale, massing, setback and monumental Greek Doric portico still shape the look of Main Street.
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 76001611, listed April 30, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N. Main and Jackson Sts., Middleboro |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | April 30, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001611 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Town of Middleborough, occupied, and used for the police department, town offices and the Fourth District Court; described as maintained in good condition by the town. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Middleborough Center Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.89326, -70.90739 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 76001611.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7176392
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.