BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM BY- BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 AREA 12 JAN 0 2 1990 FORM NO. 9 Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. Sketch Map: Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest intersection(s). Indicate north (see attached map) UTM REFERENCE 19 311360 4625600 USGS QUADRANGLE East Providence, RI-MA 1971/1979 SCALE 1:24000 Town Swansea, Mass. MRA SWANSEA Address 282 Market Street Historic Name Short's Tavern Use: Present 2-family residence Original farmhouse, then tavern DESCRIPTION Date ca. 1742 Source Registry of Deeds, Fall River Style Georgian Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric wood siding Outbuildings stone barn (now noncontrib.
building on separate lot) Major Alterations (with dates) rear exit from 2nd floor (ca. 1950?) Condition stable Moved no Date Acreage less than one acre Setting Situated close to comner in rural, primarily residential area of North Swansea. Market Street (Route 136) moderately trafficked artery. Recorded by V. Frost/K. Flynn/K. Broomer Organization Swansea Historical Conmission Date 1979/April 1986/November 1989 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) Short's Tavern, 282 Market Street, is an intact Georgian three-quarter house significant as an example of a typical 18th-century Swansea farmstead, and for its operation as a tavern in the mid-19th century. Retaining integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, and association, Short's Tavern meets Criteria A and Con the local level.
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. A gabled, 2½-story, three-guarter house with central chimney and double-pile plan, Short's Tavern is a relatively uncommon example of Georgian design in Swansea, where most survivors of the period are five-bay, center-entry houses. The building displays minimal ornamental detailing. The main entry in the third bay has a multi-pane transom and door surround with pilasters and pediment. First floor windows, articulated with molded heads, contain replacement 2/2 sash, and second-story windows with plain surrounds retain 12/8 sash. A rear exit on the second story probably dates to the mid-20th century when the buildingwas converted for two-family use.
; South of the house is a stone barn, perhaps mid-19th century, which has been insensitively remodeled into a residence. The barn now occupies a separate lot and is no longer a part of this property. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners piayed in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. In 1685, John Therber deeded a parcel of land to his son, Thomas Therber. Charity, daughter of Thomas, married Thomas Whalley. In 1742, to settle the estate of Thomas Therber, Whalley sold the farmhouse, outbuildings, and land. A typical example of the dispersed farmsteads that characterized much of Swansea in the 18th century, the house faces west on a primary north-south route through Old Swansea, running between the present towns of Rehoboth, Mass. and Warren, Rhode Island.
A short distance to the north on Market Street (also known as Baptist Street) was the First Baptist Church. The church's relocation from the present Barrington, Rhode Island to its-present site in 1717 precipitated colonial settlement of northwestern Swansea. James Short purchased the farmstead, then comprising 40 acres, in 1851. His decision to operate a tavern was undoubtedly prompted by the house's location on a county highway leading to Providence, Rhode Island. This section of Swansea, known as North Swansea, was a flourishir community in the mid-19th century, due in large part to the growth of the shipyard on the Palmer River west of the tavern and the corresponding development of a village at Barneyville in the shipyard vicinity. The nominated portion of the present property comprises less than one acre at the corner of Market Street and Stoney Hill Road (see assessor's map).
A row of mature trees behind (east of) the house separates the house site from adjacent fields, some of which are under cultivation. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Swansea and Bristol County maps and atlases. Swansea Historical Society. 8/85 (P8 Porm 10900a United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page_ Swansea MRA Bwistol County, MASSACHUSETTS 21. Luther, William, House OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 1/2/90 Date Listed antered in the Natlonal Reglater Keeper 6 AeluuAyeu 2/16/90 221 Norton House Entered 1n tne Nat1onal Regieten Attest Kkeeper Aelmußgun 2/10150 Attest 23. Short's Tavern Entered in tne National Registes iKeeper Aeluuepgun 2/10/50 24. Simcock House Attest Reeper Entered in tbe Natlonal Regiates SeluuaBger 2/1610 Attest 25. Smuggler's House 26.
South Swansea Union Church Entered in the Weeper Batlonal Beglater Attest Entered in the National ReglsteyKeeper AulrnBgan 716/56 Selmumpayar 21670 Attest 27. Swansea Willage Historic Distfifdred 1n tra Hationad Register Keeper AeluuBjus s/10k50 28. Walkden Farm 29.
Mason, William P., House Attest Entered in the Nationai Registen fisceper AelauByad 7/16450 Attest ahsteintein Homde forkeeper Bit Savage $640 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Short's Tavern NAME: MULTIPLE Swansea MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Bristol DATE RECEIVED: 1/02/90 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 2/02/90 DATE OF PENDING LIST: DATE OF 45TH DAY: 2/16/90 DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 90000072 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: OPPER PAT PROBIEM: N PARCADE N PRS TNSOMDU PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: COMMENT WAIVER: N LACCEPT _RETURN REJECT 2/16/9U DAE Entered 1n the Fatlanad Rogister ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICATION count resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION architectural classification materials descriptive text SIGNIFICANCE Period Areas of Significance--Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance _justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA _acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION sketch maps USGS maps photographs presentation OTHER COMMENTS Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date 282 market st.
Swansea,mA. Short's Tavem (MHC =9) 282 Market Street swausea, Mass. MRA 1986 VieW SE 1961/ REVISED 10/82 PROPERTY MAP TOWN OF SWANSEA BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS IAMES W,SEWALL COMPANY OLD TOWN, MAINE SCALE 1-NCH - 200% FEET POtS AESDAINO PORPOERS ONLY: 12 MHC# 9 282 MARKET STREET 28 33 F STREET KEX -=HOUSE XX=STONEWALL 392 33 44 6 2 227 34A'+ 34 A ROAD HILL 14, 173.6° 258 70: 27 257' 26 25%° i2S= 25 37 312- 103 TONEY xx** ?3! 210/2/2 +5 125h 012g 110 10% 213 113. 1T0- MARKET 5g .2 130 15 133' 100 109 16 10?' 40 165 109 375 7 950 14B 14 92 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000296