Burnham, James, House
Why it's listed
Located at 37 Heartbreak Road in the Candlewood area of Ipswich, this shingled house has a steep roof, a central chimney and a rear ell. Its right-hand room and chimney bay are the oldest part, probably dating to the late 17th century, while the left-hand rooms and rear ell were added in the 18th century. No First Period framing is exposed, but several clues point to early construction: joist spacing of 17 to 18 1/2 inches, nearly square rooms about 20 feet across, very wide boxes around the summer beams, and thicker walls on the first floor that may hide former overhangs. These resemble the Whipple House and Ross Tavern in Ipswich. Deed research suggests the house belonged to James Burnham, a trooper in King Philip's War and a witness in the 1692 Salem witch trials. Interiors were remodeled in the Federal period, and early 20th century and 1950s changes gave the exterior a Colonial Revival look. A garage on the property was designed by McKim, Mead and White.
Significance in brief: The house is judged likely to contain a significant First Period (17th-century) structure behind its later finishes, making it eligible for the information it may yield on First Period architectural history. Physical evidence includes joist spacing, steep roof pitch, room dimensions, very wide summer beam boxes and differing wall thicknesses. Deed research also suggests it was owned by James Burnham before 1703.
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 90000236, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 37 Heartbreak Rd., Ipswich |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000236 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; garage designed by McKim, Mead and White |
| Architectural style | First Period core / Colonial Revival exterior |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residential use; condition described as good. |
| Acreage | 4.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.66488, -70.82980 (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 90000236.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6130523
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.