Dalton House
Also known as: Dalton Club
Why it's listed
Dalton House is a three-story, L-plan Georgian dwelling with a gambrel roof at the corner of State and Garden Streets in Newburyport. Michael Dalton, a master mariner turned merchant, bought the land in 1746 and built the house about 1747. The west facade is rusticated woodblock, with a five-bay front, a center entrance framed by engaged Corinthian columns, a modillioned cornice and five pedimented dormers. Inside are a paneled front hall, a straight stair with turned balusters, and fine woodwork in the parlors and a second-floor card room. The house is significant for its architecture and its owners. Michael's son Tristram Dalton served on town committees, in the Provincial Congress, as speaker of the Massachusetts House, and as a United States senator. During the Revolution he helped outfit two warships at Newburyport. Visitors reportedly included George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Hancock. The Dalton Club bought the house in 1897 and still uses it.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its elegant Georgian architecture and for the prominent people associated with it. Tristram Dalton, who lived there, was a Revolutionary-era merchant, state legislator and one of the first U.S. senators from Massachusetts. The house also hosted many notable figures of the period.
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 78000464, listed March 29, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 95 State St., Newburyport |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 29, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000464 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1746-48 |
| Architect / builder | Michael Dalton |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; used as a social club (Dalton Club) since 1897, with some interior alterations for club use. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Within district | Newburyport Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.80811, -70.87120 (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 78000464.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5211696
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.