Vinton-Torrey House
Why it's listed
Set among open fields on Torrey Road in Southbridge, this brick farmhouse was built in 1841 by J. Eliot Vinton on the site of an earlier Vinton house. The family traces back to John Vinton, who settled the area in 1738 and bought 930 acres. The house follows the traditional two-and-a-half story, five-bay, center-entrance plan, but with Greek Revival details such as brick corner pilasters, granite sills and lintels, and an entrance with full-length sidelights and a broad transom. Brick construction, end chimneys and a shallow plan are unusual for the area, and the slight gable overhang common in earlier frame houses is expressed in brick. It is one of several outlying Southbridge farmhouses that adapted older forms to Greek Revival style. The farm was owned by J. M. Vinton in 1878 and by E. T. Torrey by 1898. Across the road stands the related Vinton-Boardman farmhouse. The property was listed for its agricultural association and its design.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites its association with the persistent agricultural economy of rural Southbridge and its use of a brick Greek Revival design in a rural setting. It adapts the traditional five-bay, center-entrance farmhouse plan to Greek Revival details, with unusual brick construction and end chimneys. It is significant at the local level and retains 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 89000588, listed June 22, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5 Torrey Rd., Southbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | June 22, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000588 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; present use listed as vacant. A two-story enclosed porch covered in synthetic siding was added to the west side. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.08487, -72.00854 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 89000588.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7932893
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.