Adams-Clarke House
Why it's listed
This house at 93 West Main Street in Georgetown, Massachusetts, is a 2 1/2-story, five-bay, one-room-deep frame dwelling with a clapboarded exterior, symmetrical windows, a central chimney and a pedimented doorway. It probably began around 1725 as a single-cell structure made up of the right-hand rooms and chimney bay, and was likely built by Isaac Adams after he bought the property in 1716. A wing was added around 1800, and a rear addition followed in the 1970s. Inside, the right-hand rooms keep a chamfered hardwood summer beam with taper stops, deep feather-edged vertical sheathing, and a possibly original cellar staircase. Later features include a Second Period staircase, raised-field paneling and a delicate Federal stair in the wing. In the late 18th century it was home to Captain Benjamin Adams, a Revolutionary War officer. It was listed for its late First Period construction, which shows the shift toward minimal frame decoration and newer finishes.
Significance in brief: The house is a late First Period frame building that keeps its integrity of location, materials, design and workmanship. It represents a large group of transitional structures in which decorative embellishment of the exposed frame becomes minimal and finishes such as vertical feather-edged sheathing appear. It is eligible under Criterion C for its distinctive form and construction.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 90000211, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 93 W. Main St., Georgetown |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000211 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; probably built by Isaac Adams |
| Architectural style | 1st Period core with Federal vernacular exterior |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good; the building is in present use as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.72869, -70.99853 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 90000211.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715380
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.