Central Street District
Why it's listed
Central Street in Andover is a half-mile corridor of houses and churches that served as the town's main street until the Essex Turnpike opened in 1810. The district covers about 54 acres and 37 properties, and its buildings span roughly 1790 to 1900. Notable houses include the 1795 Georgian home of tanner Jonathan Swift, the 1792-93 Samuel Abbot house, the 1784 Kneeland-Marland Cottage, an Italianate house of 1874 and a Shingle Style house of the 1890s. Three churches anchor the street: the 1834 Greek Revival Baptist church, the 1861 Romanesque Revival South Church built of wood, and the 1882 Richardsonian Romanesque Episcopal church. The district was listed for its concentration of high-style homes built for leading local families, its architecturally important churches, and its intact setting. Only six buildings are considered intrusions, and the area is described as in excellent condition, with a balanced variety of styles.
Significance in brief: The district is described as Andover's social and religious core and its most impressive neighborhood. It holds a concentration of high-style homes built for the town's leading families, plus three major churches of cultural and architectural importance. The form states it retains integrity of design, materials, workmanship and setting.
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 82000478, listed October 7, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Irregular Pattern along Central St., Andover |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | October 7, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82000478 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1790-1900 |
| Architect / builder | Jacob Chickering (First Baptist Church); John Stevens of Boston (South Church); Hartwell and Richardson (Episcopal Church); William Stuart Jenkins (67 Central Street) |
| Architectural style | Range of styles from First Period through Georgian, Greek Revival, Gothic, Italianate, Mansard, Romanesque Revival, Richardsonian Romanesque and Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated excellent; used for residential and religious purposes. Six intrusions are noted, including three houses under 50 years old, a school, an office building and a small late Victorian house. |
| Acreage | 54 |
| Coordinates | 42.65251, -71.14316 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 82000478.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5061871
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.