The Preservation Society of Fall River has bought a 3rd house in bid to save city history

Dan Medeiros, The Herald News
·2 min read

FALL RIVER — The Preservation Society of Fall River has added to its real estate portfolio.

The group, a nonprofit dedicated to saving and restoring key pieces of Fall River’s architectural history, on Thursday announced that it has closed on the purchase of the William Valentine carriage house at 166 Purchase St., built circa 1865.

“The Valentine Carriage House is our third historic building that we’ll be preserving in our persistent effort to recapture Fall River’s historical heritage,” said James Soule, president of the Preservation Society’s board of directors.

The Preservation Society also owns the Dr. Isaac Fiske house at 263 Pine St., which it bought in September 2018, and the John Read House at 95 June St., which the group bought in December 2021.

According to a press release from the Preservation Society, their new purchase was once the carriage house and stable for William Valentine, a horse enthusiast, who lived at 150 Purchase St. He was also a member of the Niagara volunteer fire company, the Preservation Society said, and traced his lineage to Capt. William Valentine, a prominent businessman in Fall River's early days.

The Preservation Society of Fall River has purchased this home, a former carriage house owned by William Valentine, built circa 1865, at 166 Purchase St.
The Preservation Society of Fall River has purchased this home, a former carriage house owned by William Valentine, built circa 1865, at 166 Purchase St.

An Azorean tradition: Why do Fall River area homes have Virgin Mary statues in bathtubs?

The Valentine Carriage House is directly behind the Fiske house’s rear boundary, and the Preservation Society said acquiring it will help reduce parking congestion in the area —the Fiske house is currently rented out as apartments, but there are plans to open a museum in the basement. The Fiske house was a station on the Underground Railroad. Fiske, a Quaker and staunch abolitionist, was involved in anti-slavery meetings and used the Pine Street home to house slaves fleeing north to Canada and freedom. It’s rumored that among the slaves who Fiske smuggled to freedom was Henry “Box” Brown, a runaway who had himself mailed in a wooden crate from Virginia to Philadelphia.

The carriage house contains two apartments, which are currently vacant. According to city assessor information, the apartments have two bedrooms and one bathroom each. The Preservation Society said they will be rented out after renovations and preservation work are completed.

House in a box: Did Sears Roebuck sell do-it-yourself kit homes by mail in Fall River?

City tax assessment information indicates the property was last sold in 2019 for $300,000, and was assessed in 2022 at a value of $117,100.

“Not only does this purchase preserve this property, it helps the Preservation Society continue its efforts to improve the neighborhood,” Soule said. “The Carriage House’s Purchase Street location allows us to focus more attention on the Lower Highlands Historic District.”

Dan Medeiros can be reached at dmedeiros@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Preservation Society of Fall River buys 1865 carriage house