Third Meetinghouse
Also known as: Grange Hall
Why it's listed
Built in 1816 as the third meetinghouse of the Mattapoisett congregation, this two-story clapboarded building at 1 Fairhaven Road sits on a quarter-acre lot along Route 6. It was moved toward the sea after a hurricane in 1815 damaged the previous meetinghouse, as the town shifted from farming to shipbuilding. The congregation used it for twenty-eight years and also held town meetings there, including a session from March to July 1837 on separation from Rochester, which was resolved when Mattapoisett was incorporated in 1857. The building was remodeled in the Italianate style in 1857, with double pediments, round-arched windows and a bracketed cornice. It housed the Mattapoisett Academy from 1854 to 1862 and the public Barstow School from 1871 for twenty-eight years. Grange #215 bought it in 1915 and used it for community functions. It is one of few buildings of architectural quality left along this stretch of highway.
Significance in brief: The building is cited for its architectural quality along a heavily commercialized stretch of Route 6, and for its role in the town's political development and education. It hosted a long 1837 town meeting on separating from Rochester and later housed the Mattapoisett Academy and the public Barstow School.
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 76000956, listed January 2, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1 Fairhaven Rd., Mattapoisett |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | January 2, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000956 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate elements |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and used as a Grange hall; plans for future use were still being developed. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.66204, -70.81984 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 76000956.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7784894
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.