Boardman House
Why it's listed
Set close to a once-rural road in Saugus that is now a busy suburban street, this house follows the typical 17th-century plan of two rooms on each floor around a large central chimney, with a cellar under half the building. A rear lean-to was added later, giving it the saltbox profile. Long thought to have housed Scottish prisoners brought to work at the Saugus iron works, it is now understood from later research to have been built for the Boardman family after they acquired the land in 1687. Its plan and fine decorative detail do not suit prisoners' quarters. The exterior dates largely from the 18th century, while much of the interior is original, including wainscot, batten doors, shadow-molded sheathing and the heavy exposed frame. The preservation society that acquired it in 1914 repaired it between 1915 and 1918 and has since treated it as a documentary house, prioritizing the saving of original material for students of early architecture.
Significance in brief: It is presented as a classic New England saltbox house of medieval design. So much original fabric survives in an unspoiled condition that it is called an outstanding monument and an important document for studying early American architecture.
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 66000131, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Howard St., Saugus |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000131 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1600-1699 (specific date 1687) |
| Architectural style | Colonial New England saltbox house of medieval design |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 5, 1961 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by a preservation society and treated as a documentary house; condition described as fair, with a custodian occupying the first floor and limited summer opening hours (1968 visit). |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.47249, -71.03790 (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 66000131.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4931430
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.