Emmons, G.B., House
Why it's listed
Located at 283 Broadway near the center of Methuen, this 2½-story house dates to about 1890 and combines Shingle Style and Queen Anne features. Its walls are clad in shingles, it rests on a fieldstone foundation, and a corner turret marks the exterior. Upper sash windows have six panes. The architect is unknown, and the house has no outbuildings, no recorded major alterations and has never been moved. It was first owned by G. B. Emmons, president of the Emmons Loom Harness Company in Lawrence. The house is considered a typical example of the style-conscious single-family homes that local builders advertised and that Methuen and Lawrence carpenters built for merchants and businessmen at the turn of the century. Its position on a busy thoroughfare beside the town center adds to its importance. It was listed for its association with local development patterns and for its architecture, and it keeps its original design, materials, workmanship and setting. It continues to serve as a private residence.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a good example of the style-conscious residential building seen in Methuen around the turn of the century. It represents the standard Shingle Style version of merchants' and businessmen's houses built by Methuen and Lawrence carpenters. Its location in the town center adds to its importance. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship, and meets criteria A and C.
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 84002353, listed January 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 283 Broadway, Methuen |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | January 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002353 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style/Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a private residence, the same as its original use; no major alterations are recorded and it has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.72892, -71.18786 (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 84002353.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5511989
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.