Politics & Government

Historic Tappan House to Be Demolished

Attleboro's historic Tappan House will be leveled.

After an entire year of Attleboro residents and officials trying to save a historic home in Attleboro from , the old historic Victorian known as the Tappan House will be leveled.

The proposal to move the Tappan House began a decade ago. Since then, which owns the home, worked with city officials to sell and

"No takers ever came forward, which led to Sturdy pulling a demolition permit late last year," Attleboro Mayor Kevin Dumas said.

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Several residents, including Maria Wrightington of the Attleboro Historical Society, joined together in an effort to halt the demolition. Dumas and the hospital worked out an agreement to move the Tappan House to a vacant lot, owned by Marathon Co., on Pearl Street.

In order for the plan to work, officials needed to first find a buyer. The city, through a nonprofit organization it formed, sought a buyer. The minimum bid was $250,000.

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"My staff and me spent almost a year working with the hospital in order to save the Tappan House," Dumas said. "We spent hundreds of hours overcoming many hurdles in the complexity of moving such a structure. Even though we did so, in the end, the property in which the house was to move to was not able to come to reality. We did everything possible within our power."

There was, however, a last-minute attempt to save the Tappan when someone stepped forward with interest in buying the house, according to Dumas.

"Once again, the city stepped forward and used its best efforts to help broker a new deal between these private parties," Dumas wrote in a letter dated Oct. 4 to Attleboro city councilors. "However, and despite the best efforts of everyone involved, the details of a new agreement could simply not be hammered out by these private parties."

Sturdy Memorial did not reply to requests for comment.


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