{"nrhp_refnum":"83000580","name":"Monroe, Bessie, House","other_names":["Hp-3"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"7 Ash St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Salem","county":"Essex County","state":"MA","lat":42.52360568700004,"lon":-70.89481808999994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1983-07-29","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story Federal-style brick house at 7 Ash Street in Salem, Massachusetts, built in 1811 for Thomas Perkins, a merchant from nearby Topsfield.","why_significant":"The house is notable for the clarity of its Federal vernacular design and as a surviving remnant of an early 19th century neighborhood erased by urban renewal. Brick construction was relatively rare in Salem when it was built. The form finds it retains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship and association, and meets criterion C.","narrative":"Seven Ash Street in Salem is a two-story brick house completed in 1811 by Thomas Perkins, a prosperous merchant from nearby Topsfield. Perkins first rented it to his brother, a chairmaker, who lived there until his death. Its hip roof carries twin chimneys on the front slope, and the five-bay facade is centered on a classically detailed fanlit doorway, the only decorative feature. Quoins, six-over-six sash and a granite basement complete the restrained Federal vernacular design. Brick was relatively uncommon in Salem at the time, so the house stood out even among its modest neighbors. Those neighbors were demolished through urban renewal. Bessie Monroe, the longtime owner and occupant, lived there until about 1975. The Redevelopment Authority acquired the property but allowed her to remain, which postponed demolition until the renewal plan shifted toward restoration. The house was then sold to an owner interested in restoring it. It is recognized for its architectural clarity and integrity.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Architect unknown; built by Thomas Perkins (original owner)","architectural_style":"Federal (Federal vernacular)","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Residential use; the form states it was not altered or moved and was sold to an owner interested in restoring it after Bessie Monroe's death.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:57.944068-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/13/7899/63789913/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/83000580.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83000580/7e9719be37-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83000580/7e9719be37-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Fletcher6","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bessie_Monroe_House.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Fletcher6</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bessie_Monroe_House.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63789913","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Monroe_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4896486"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/essex-county/monroe-bessie-house-83000580/"}