Dickinson-Pillsbury-Witham House
Why it's listed
Set on nearly nine acres of meadow and woodland near the Rowley line, this farmhouse at 170 Jewett Street in Georgetown dates from after 1700. It began as a single-cell, 2 1/2 story structure to the right of the chimney, and rooms to the left were added within a generation. Today it is five bays wide with a central chimney, clapboards on the front, and shingles on the sides and rear. An ell was attached in 1856. The house has escaped major remodeling and keeps wooden latches and pegs, cupboards, feather-edged sheathing, early paint and soot-blackened ceilings. Brick nogging was found in the walls, and the right end girt shows an unusual piecing worth further study. The house was listed for the integrity of its First Period construction and for the information its paint and plaster may hold. It is also tied to Paul Pillsbury, an inventor who bought it in 1801-2 and developed a corn sheller, a bark mill and a shoe pegging machine.
Significance in brief: The house keeps a high degree of First Period integrity in its frame, simple fittings and unaltered finishes, including early paint and soot-blackened ceilings. Its paint and plaster evidence may yield information about this building type, and the unusual piecing of the right end girt merits further study. It is also associated with Paul Pillsbury, an inventor who bought the house in 1801-2.
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 90000210, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 170 Jewett St., Georgetown |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000210 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good; the house is a present residence and was originally a residence. An ell was attached in 1856 and an 18th-century barn survives. |
| Acreage | 8.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.72908, -70.94443 (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 90000210.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5273720
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.