Corning, Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Located on Hull Street in Beverly, this clapboarded two-story house with a central chimney and lobby entrance began as a single-cell dwelling, perhaps around 1700. About 1720 a two-story addition was made beside the chimney bay, and a rear leanto was added later. The earlier section has an overhanging second story supported by molded ends of the transverse members, with chamfered and lamb's-tongue-stopped summer and tie beams resting on posts with molded heads. The later section has quirk-beaded framing, a longitudinal first-floor summer beam, and a principal-and-purlin pine roof. Around 1920 Quincy Adams Shaw McKean and his wife, the artist Margaret Sargent, hired Boston architect Joseph Delano Leland III to turn the house into a country estate. He added a quadrangle of vernacular revival buildings, including a medieval hall, chapel, bedrooms and guest cottage, around a courtyard and pool. The house was listed for its two framing periods and this later artistic association.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its frames from two successive periods, including transverse first-floor summer beams supported by molded post heads and story posts, and an overhanging second story. It also notes later association with 20th-century artists, musicians and architects through its transformation into a country estate.
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 90000196, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 87 Hull St., Beverly |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000196 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown for the original house; Joseph Delano Leland III of Leland and Larson designed the 1920s alterations and additions |
| Architectural style | First Period / Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; in present use as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.58034, -70.83927 (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 90000196.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7411166
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.