National Register of Historic Places

Simond, Col. Benjamin, House

Williamstown, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
August 31, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83000570

About this property

The Col. Benjamin Simonds House is a historic house at 643 Simonds Road in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The colonial style wood-frame house was built in 1770 by Benjamin Simonds, a veteran of the French and Indian Wars, who was one of Williamstown's early settlers. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and now houses a bed and breakfast. The Benjamin Simonds House is located about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the center of Williamstown, on the west side of Simonds Road (United States Route 7) just north of its crossing of the Hoosic River. It is a 2+1⁄2-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof, central chimney, and clapboarded exterior. Its main facade is five bays wide, with a modestly styled central entrance flanked by pilasters. The interior retains a great deal of original period woodwork, including builtin cabinetry, fireplace mantels, and crown moulding. Benjamin Simonds was a native of Connecticut who first came to the area that is now Williamstown as a militia soldier stationed at Fort Massachusetts in the 1740s, during King George's War. He first bought land in the area in 1749, eventually moving to this area, where he built this house in 1769. He operated a tavern in the town, and was a leading force in the incorporation of Williamstown in 1765, and the founding of Williams College in 1790. He was also active militarily in the American Revolutionary War, where he led a regiment of militia in the Battle of Bennington and other engagements. National Register of Historic Places listings in Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Location

643 Simonds Rd.
Williamstown, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
42.72982, -73.20520

Categories

HISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALMILITARYEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Simond, Col. Benjamin, House

This page lists Simond, Col. Benjamin, House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Simond, Col. Benjamin, House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Williamstown Rail Yard and Station Historic District
Industrial
1 mi
Mill Village Historic District
Industrial
1.2 mi
US Post Office-Williamstown Main
Industrial
1.3 mi
East Lawn Cemetery and Sherman Burbank Memorial Chapel
Colonial
1.6 mi
Sherman, William B., Farm
Industrial
2.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Simond, Col. Benjamin, House listed on the National Register?

Simond, Col. Benjamin, House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 31, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Simond, Col. Benjamin, House?

Simond, Col. Benjamin, House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Simond, Col. Benjamin, House?

The period of significance for Simond, Col. Benjamin, House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Simond, Col. Benjamin, House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Simond, Col. Benjamin, House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Berkshire County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Berkshire County.

Explore BerkshireCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Simond, Col. Benjamin, House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report