Joseph Willis House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Joseph Willis House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 28 Worcester St., Taunton, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1688 |
| MPS | Taunton MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002286 |
| Added to NRHP | July 5, 1984 |
The Joseph Willis House is a very old and important house located at 28 Worcester Street in Taunton, Massachusetts. It was built way back in 1688. This makes it the oldest building still standing in Taunton, and one of the oldest in the entire state of Massachusetts!
What Does the House Look Like?
The Joseph Willis House is in a quiet, green area in western Taunton. It sits where Worcester Street and Alfred Lord Boulevard meet. This house is two-and-a-half stories tall and made of wood. It has a special roof that slopes down steeply at the back. This style is called a "saltbox" because it looks like the wooden boxes people used to keep salt in.
The front of the house has four sections for windows. The windows on the top floor are placed pretty evenly. On the bottom floor, they are not quite as even. The front door is on the left side. It has decorative columns, called pilasters, and a small window above it. A large chimney sticks out of the roof a little off-center, right behind the front door.
Who Was Joseph Willis?
The first owner of this house was Joseph Willis. He was from a town called Bridgewater. Joseph Willis was given land in Taunton because he served in the military during King Philip's War. This was a big conflict between colonists and Native Americans in the 1670s.
Joseph Willis moved to the Taunton area in 1670. He then built this house in 1688. Over the years, the house was made bigger with two additions in the 1800s. The inside of the house was updated in the 1900s. People believe this is the oldest building in Taunton that is still in its original spot.
A National Historic Landmark
Because of its long history and unique style, the Joseph Willis House is very important. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 5, 1984. This list helps protect special places in the United States.
