Brown-Davis-Frost Farm
Why it's listed
This farm on Whitney Street in the Jefferson section of Holden centers on a 2 1/2 story brick house with a side-gable roof, granite foundation and four interior chimneys. Five buildings and two structures stand on the 50-acre parcel, including a c.1940 barn, a former chicken coop later used as a workshop, a converted garage now used as a kennel, a sheep shed and a stone wishing well. Stone walls and surrounding pasture and woodland remain. The house is one of the two earliest known brick buildings in Holden, alongside a nearby brick house at 123 Whitney Street. Its exact construction date is uncertain: it may have been built by Isaiah Brown as early as 1763, or by Ethan Davis around 1795. Later owners included Dana Frost, who bought the farm in 1810. The Horsfall family began restoring the neglected house in 1938. The property is considered locally significant for its architecture and its agricultural history through 1945.
Significance in brief: It is one of the two earliest surviving brick houses in Holden and an intact example of an established farmstead. Brick was rare in Central Massachusetts during the Colonial period. The nomination finds it significant locally for architecture and agriculture, with the period running from the late 18th century to 1945.
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 95001444, listed December 13, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 17 Whitney St., Town of Holden, Jefferson |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | December 13, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95001444 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Late 18th C. - 1945 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling and farm, with a former garage converted to a kennel in 1990. |
| Acreage | 50 |
| Coordinates | 42.37461, -71.88820 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 95001444.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16847567
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.