Kensely, J., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1820 on Chestnut Street in Uxbridge, this rectangular brick house is regarded as an excellent local example of Federalist architecture. Its walls of red brick laid in common bond rise from a hammered granite foundation, with a central chimney and granite lintels and sills framing the windows. Sash is 12/12 on the first storey and 12/8 in the gables. The slightly asymmetrical facade centers on an original sunken panel door with a five-pane transom. Later changes include a rear porch, a chimney capped down, and painted brick. The house has no known historical associations. Maps show it as the property of J. Kensley in 1857, and it appears to have stayed in the Kensley family into the late nineteenth century, likely as a farm. It was listed for its design and its integrity of location, setting, materials and workmanship, as a well-preserved example of the brick construction that became locally popular for higher quality houses during the Federalist period.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent local example of Federalist architecture, notable primarily for its design. It is a well-preserved example of the brick construction that became locally popular for higher quality houses in the Federalist period. It has no known historical associations and meets criterion C.
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 83004126, listed October 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Chestnut St., Uxbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | October 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004126 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federalist |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is private residence; alterations include a rear porch, a central chimney capped down, and painted brick. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.02821, -71.62518 (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 83004126.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6106242
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.