Washburn, C.P., Grain Mill
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Cambridge and Center Streets in Middleboro, this grain mill was built in 1899 for Charles Parker Washburn and expanded in stages: flanking sheds in 1902, an office in 1904 and a reinforced concrete wing in 1918. The three-story clapboard building uses timber-crib construction, with 14 bins of spiked yellow pine planks, and sits beside a railroad spur extended at Washburn's expense. Grain moved through the building by gravity, electricity, bucket elevators and screw conveyors, then was packaged and stored in the sheds. It served farmers from Plymouth to Providence and as far as Provincetown. The mill is listed as the only timber-crib grain elevator of its period known to survive in Massachusetts and possibly New England, and it keeps much of its original machinery. It closed in 1974 after the decline of local agriculture, ending a family milling business traced to 1634. Plans called for conversion to a hardware store.
Significance in brief: The mill and its flanking sheds contain the only timber-crib grain elevator of its period known to survive in Massachusetts and possibly New England. It also keeps much of its original turn-of-the-century machinery. It is tied to a locally important agricultural business run by the Washburn family.
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 80000667, listed April 8, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Central and Cambridge Sts., Middleboro |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | April 8, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000667 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | C. P. Washburn |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The mill closed in December 1974. The form lists it as occupied and work in progress, with plans to convert it into a hardware supply store. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.89360, -70.91897 (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 80000667.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5006196
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.