Stony Farm
Why it's listed
Stony Farm is a rural property at 428 Salisbury Street in Holden, Massachusetts, built around a Federal style house dating to about 1790. The five-bay, double-pile frame house has a slate roof, granite foundation, clapboard walls, two chimneys and a center-hall plan with eight fireplaces. A two-story ell, a 1936 six-car garage, several sheds, a former chicken coop and a 1981 barn built on the foundations of one lost to fire complete the complex. Stone walls, open fields and woodland still reflect its farming past. Deed research indicates the house was probably built by Tilla Chaffin, whose family held the farm into the 1860s. Thomas R. Howe, a carpenter, bought it in 1867, and his son later enlarged the landholding. It served as a Congregational parsonage from 1941 to 1946. The nomination values the property for its well-preserved Federal architecture and as one of Holden's best-preserved farms, with a period of significance from about 1790 to 1945.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a well-preserved example of Federal period architecture in Holden, notable for its double-pile plan and double chimneys. The property is also one of the town's best-preserved farms, with a rural agricultural setting little changed from its historic appearance and an organic development through the 19th and 20th centuries.
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 95001441, listed December 13, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 428 Salisbury St., Holden |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | December 13, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95001441 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1790 - 1945 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and retaining integrity; sheep are still pastured in the fields. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 42.32721, -71.85069 (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 95001441.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7619551
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.