Taft, Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1774, or no later than 1778, this 1½-storey timber-frame cottage on Sutton Street in Uxbridge has a gambrel roof, a central chimney, a symmetrical south-facing entrance and a rock-faced granite foundation. A nineteenth-century ell was added later. Farmer Samuel Taft, a member of the large Taft family that dominated eighteenth-century Uxbridge settlement, is believed to have built it after buying the land in 1774. The house stood on a major route between Boston and Hartford and served as both farmhouse and inn, locally called the Old Taft Tavern. George Washington spent a night here in 1789 on his way from Boston to New York, and a later letter from him to the family was kept by Taft's heirs. President William H. Taft visited in 1909. Taft descendants occupied the house through the nineteenth century. It is recognized for its Washington and Taft family associations and its well-preserved vernacular design, and it remains a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent local example of a mid-eighteenth-century house type that retains its vernacular design. It is tied to the Taft family, who occupied it for over a century, and to George Washington, who stayed overnight in 1789 while travelling from Boston to New York. It also lay on a major Boston-Hartford route and was visited by President William H. Taft in 1909.
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 83004140, listed October 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Sutton St., Uxbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | October 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004140 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Samuel Taft (believed) |
| Architectural style | Timber-frame vernacular |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a residence; originally a residence and inn. Alterations include a mid-20th-century porch and oriel window on the ell. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.09128, -71.65535 (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 83004140.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16901010
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.