{"nrhp_refnum":"90000270","name":"Tufts, Rev. John, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"750 Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"West Newbury","county":"Essex County","state":"MA","lat":42.80821692300003,"lon":-70.95620326999995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1990-03-09","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story, central-chimney, double-cell frame house at 750 Main Street in West Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, built about 1714-1715 for the Rev. John Tufts. It sits on about 2 acres and is clapboard-sided.","why_significant":"The house is argued to embody late First Period construction through its well-exposed oak frame, molded post head and decorative chamfering. It is also tied to Rev. John Tufts, who was ordained in the West Parish in 1714 and was among the first to publish an introduction to singing psalm tunes by note.","narrative":"Built around 1714-1715, this house at 750 Main Street in West Newbury began as a two-story, double-cell dwelling with a central chimney and lobby entrance. It was built for the Rev. John Tufts after his ordination with the West Parish in 1714. Tufts is noted as one of the first, and by some accounts the first, to publish an introduction to singing psalm tunes by notes rather than by lining out. The oak frame is clearly of a single build and remains exposed in the four main rooms. Surviving features include flat chamfered summer beams with lamb's tongue stops, a carved post head with rolled molding, and evidence of wind braces and dovetailed collar beams. A good Second Period triple-run staircase was added later. Twentieth-century additions include a rear leanto that gives the house a saltbox profile and a gabled side addition. The house was listed for the quality of its late First Period framing and its association with Tufts.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"First Period / Second Period","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Recorded in 1986 as in good condition, in residential use, and not moved.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:04.879006-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/70/7900/63790070/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/90000270.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/90000270/b243454c7b-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/90000270/b243454c7b-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Magicpiano","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WestNewburyMA_RevJohnTuftsHouse.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Magicpiano</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:WestNewburyMA_RevJohnTuftsHouse.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63790070","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rev._John_Tufts_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7317682"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/essex-county/tufts-rev-john-house-90000270/"}