Carlton-Frie-Tucker House
Also known as: Ebenezer Frie House; Tucker House
Why it's listed
Located at 140 Mill Road in North Andover, this clapboarded, center-chimney house dates to about 1709, with a possible 1690s origin. It combines two First Period single-cell halves joined at the chimney. The east end is believed original to the site and was probably built by Ebenezer Frie (Frye) III after his 1708 marriage. The west end is reputed to have been moved here in the 1760s, perhaps after a fire, and family tradition links it to an early Carlton garrison house, though no evidence confirms this. The exposed first-floor frame shows chamfered beams with lamb's tongue stops, jowled posts, and unusual barefaced soffit tenon joists, a rare late 17th century technique. The house passed to the Tucker family after 1813. Charles W. Tucker, an MIT graduate, set a granite step from the demolished Rogers Building at the entrance. It was listed for its well-preserved early frame and construction details.
Significance in brief: The house keeps its First Period frame, which shows distinctive 17th-century construction under Criterion C. Its east room joists with barefaced soffit tenons are an exceptional example of a rare late 17th century technique. Its form, a one-cell house moved and joined to another, may be a rare identifiable example of what happened to many damaged or single-cell First Period buildings.
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 90000251, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 140 Mill Rd., North Andover |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000251 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded in good condition and in residential use; the rear lean-to was rebuilt in the 20th century. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.65781, -71.09959 (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 90000251.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5042947
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.