Hamilton Millwright-Agent's House
Why it's listed
Built about 1840 at 757-761 Main Street in Southbridge, this brick house served the Hamilton Woolen Mill in Globe Village. It was probably erected by the mill company for John Edwards Bacon, the millwright who helped plan and build the 1836 "Big Mill" below it. Others connected with the company's store and counting room are recorded as living in the household. By 1855 mill agent Joshua Ballard lived there; he later became treasurer and is credited with guiding the company through its most prosperous years. The house has a gable-front form, brick walls, granite sills and lintels, a recessed side-hall entrance with a fanlight in the pediment, and multi-light sidelights and transoms. A side ell has a porch with a Greek Revival entablature and square Doric posts. A Greek Revival carriage house survives at the rear. It is considered a rare surviving example of early mill housing and is still residential today, in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as rare surviving housing from Southbridge's early mill development at Globe Village. It is tied to millwright John Edwards Bacon and later to mill agent Joshua Ballard. Its design closely resembles the Judson-Litchfield House, and it keeps much of its original setting.
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 89000543, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 757--761 Main St., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000543 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; probably built by the Hamilton Woolen Mill for millwright John Edwards Bacon |
| Architectural style | Federal/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; condition described as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.08030, -72.04399 (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 89000543.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5645061
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.