Chase, Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1715 at 154 Main Street in West Newbury, this seven-bay, two-story brick house follows a central-hall plan under a gable roof. Its brick is laid in English bond, and the interior keeps exposed tie beams and parallel summer beams decorated with chamfers, lamb's tongue stops and a reverse cyma molding. A wooden rear leanto was added in the 19th century, and later changes altered the windows and chimneys. Restoration and rehabilitation took place in 1986. The house matters because it shows the shift from First Period building traditions toward Georgian planning. It is one of six known houses of this type in the Merrimack Valley from roughly 1700 to 1720, a group that includes the Peaslee Garrison in Haverhill. Tradition holds that the bricks were made in the yard, presumably by Samuel Chase. Its rarity makes it valuable for understanding early eighteenth-century craft and domestic planning.
Significance in brief: The house embodies the transition from First Period to Second Period (Georgian) house planning in its construction and decorative finish. It is one of only six known houses of this type in the Merrimack Valley dating from about 1700 to 1720. Its rarity helps explain changing craft traditions and domestic planning in the early eighteenth century, and it may yield further information.
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 90000273, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 154 Main St., West Newbury |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000273 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Transitional First/Second Period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and rehabilitated in 1986; renovation was completed by the 1989 inspection. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.78817, -71.00130 (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 90000273.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7411100
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.