Ward, Gen. Artemas, Homestead
Also known as: See Also:Shrewsbury Historic District
Why it's listed
This Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, property is a farm complex on Main Street, once the Boston Post Road, made up of a two-story clapboard country house, a curator's residence, a smoke house and a long barn. The oldest part of the house dates to 1727, when Colonel Nathum Ward, an early settler and church founder, built it. In 1785 the house was doubled with an addition for the son and daughter-in-law of General Artemas Ward. The house has a seven-bay facade with twin pedimented doorways, and inside it keeps enclosed stairways, wainscoting and a hanging partition that converts two bedrooms into a ballroom. Artemas Ward represented Shrewsbury in the General Court, took command of militiamen at Cambridge in 1775, began the siege of Boston and became the first Major General under Washington. The house is now a museum owned by Harvard University and holds Ward family furnishings, including his desk, bed, portraits and records.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property is significant as the home of General Artemas Ward, a well-known Revolutionary War leader, and as the most handsome eighteenth-century structure in Shrewsbury. Ward led militiamen in the siege of Boston and became the first Major General under George Washington.
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 76000308, listed May 4, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., opposite Dean Park, Shrewsbury |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | May 4, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000308 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architect / builder | Built by Colonel Nathum Ward (1727 section) |
| Architectural style | Georgian Colonial |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by Harvard University and operated as a museum open to the public by appointment; main house listed as unoccupied, curator's house occupied; condition excellent. |
| Acreage | 5.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.29528, -71.69666 (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 76000308.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5531703
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.