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FORM B - BUILDING - MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, State House, Boston - - - - - - 2. Photo (3x3" or 3x5") Staple to left side of form Photo number 4. Map. Draw sketch of building location in relation to nearest cross streets and other buildings. Indicate north. See Area Map. 310 DD Second St. 1 (over) 7M-7-77 1 Water St. In Area no. Form no. K 310 1. Town Taunton Address 21 Second Street Name_ Sylvanus N. Present use Staples House Residence Present owner Anthony Barbour 3. Description: 1837 Date - Deeds Source Greek Revival Style Architect Unknown Clapboards Exterior wall fabric Outbuildings (describe) None See attached. Other features Altered No Date Moved No Date RAN-5 5. Lot size: WARD - 06 , BLK - 16 LOT -20 One acre or less Over one acre Approximate frontage 100 Approximate distance of building from street 15' 6. Recorded by T.W.
Organization T.C.I.S Date 9/19/79 UTM: 19/326300/4639070 7. Original owner (if known)_ Sylvanus Nelson Staples Original use Subsequentuses (if any) and dates_ Residence N/A 8. Themes (check as many as applicable) Aboriginal Agricultural Architectural The Arts Commerce Communication Community development Conservation Education Exploration/ settlement Industry Military Political Recreation Religion Science/ invention Social/ humanitarian Transportation 9. Historical significance (include explanation of themes checked above) This Greek Revival side hall house is associated with one of Weir Village's most prominent industrialists and commercial pioneers, Sylvanus N. Staples. Born in 18l1, Staples was descended from brickmakers and sea captains.
Working for his paternal grandfather, Captain Jacob Phillips, Staples learned the sea trade first as a cabin boy, and, by the age of 18, became a sloop master. In the 1830's, he engaged actively in the coastal sea trade in the lest Indies and Gulf of Mexico, beginning his own wholesale and retail flour and grocery shipping business in partnership with F.D. Williams and Iliram Burt in 1836. As his fortunes increased steadily, Staples had the present residence built for him in 1837. The structure was originally part of a large estate with workers' housing, barns, greehhouse and landscaped grounds. Active as a landowner and speculator in the Civil War Years and later, Staples was also important for his formation of one of the city's largest and most lucrative iron, coal and lime freighting businesses. "Staples and Philips," begun in partnership with William II.
Staples in 1857, had sales offices on Winthrop and West Water Streets throughout the 19th century. It continued to buoy Staples economically ihiouphoe the loss of his ship, "The William Mason," which was sunk off the coast of Tortugas in 1861. He continued to live in this structure until his death in 1893. 10. Bibliography and/or references (such as local histories, deeds, assessor's records, early maps, etc.) Emery, Ilistory of Taunton, 1893, Biographical, P. 24-26 Taunton City Directories, 1887, 1893 INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET Commmity: Taunton Form No: MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston 310 Property Name : yLvanus N. Staples House Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. 9.
Historical Significance (continued) Description: The 2½-story side hall house features a recessed, 2½- story wing with bay windows that intersects at right angles. A I-story porch, on fluted columns, covers the facade and portion of the side elevation. Greek Revival features include corner pilasters and ta full roof entablature, creating a pedimented gable. The Sylvanus N. Staples House possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and association. It meets criteria B and C of the National Register of Historic Places as one of Taunton's best preserved examples of a large, but restrained transitional Greek Revival/Italianate style house andfor historical associations with a notable preoperous merchant who made his fortune in ocean freightingeg and seatrade in thel9th century. Boundaries conform to current lot lines.
Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use only recelved date entered Page 779 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Taunton Multiple Resource Area Bristol County, MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 61. School Street School Entered in the National Register frKeeper 62. Staples, Sylvanus N., House Entered in the National Register 63. Stone House Attest fokeeper Attest Entered in the Mat1ona1 Register fuReeper Entered In tho National Register 64. Sweet, Albert, House Ertorel in tlio National Begister 65. Taunton Alms House Attest foreeper Attest fukeeper 66. Taunton Public Library Entered in the National Regisic 67. Thomas, H.
P., House Entered in the National Register 68. Tisdale-Morse House Entered in the Natiopal Register 69. Union Congregational Church Entored in the Matlonal Register Attest fKeeper Attest fKeeper Attest fukéeper Attest toKeeper 70. Union Mission Chapel- Batored in the Historical Hall Vatlonel Register Attest futeeper Attest Date/Signature AlloreByun 1/5tos DelresByur 1/o4 dlmaßyur 715ks AclruByur zlty Selubzu 16/54 delmußsue 115hy deemByund 115/84 LelrusByan 1heor LeelnBze 1bto4 LelmeBzea 715181 WASO Form - 177 ('R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Staples, Sylvanus N., House (Taunton MRA) Bristol County MASSA CHUSETTS resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: Reviewer's comments: L sample -request Working No.. MAY 2 | 1984 Fed. Reg.
Date: 2 Date Due: 6 15 21-84 Action: CACCEPT Entered in the - RETURN National Register _REJECT- Federal Agency: . -appeal -NR decision Recom./Criteria Reviewer - Discipline Date. see continuation sheet 7-5-84 7-5-84 Nomination returned for: _ _technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes no 7. Description Condition excellent good deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one - unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one - original site J moved date 8.
Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder