Foster, Gen. Gideon, House
Also known as: Peabody Historical Society Headquarters
Why it's listed
Built around 1810 for the merchant John Saunders, this three-story Federal style house originally stood on Main Street in Peabody, Massachusetts. Its five-bay clapboard facade, hip roof, central entrance with sidelights and McIntire-inspired interior details echo the dignified merchant houses of nearby Salem on a more modest scale. General Gideon Foster bought the house in 1815. Born in Peabody in 1749, he led a company of Minutemen at Lexington, served in the siege of Boston, and rose to major general of the state militia. He also held town offices and ran bark, grist and chocolate mills of his own design. Later owners included the wool manufacturer Eben Sutton, who sold the house on condition that it be moved. Franklin Merrill relocated it to Washington Street in 1854. The Peabody Historical Society bought it in 1916 and, after a full restoration, uses it for collections of pottery, fire department items, rare books and Revolutionary War objects.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as the home of Revolutionary War hero General Gideon Foster, who lived there from 1815. It is also an important Federal period building in central Peabody, largely unaltered since construction and recalling the McIntire houses of nearby Salem.
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 76000287, listed June 23, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 35 Washington St., Peabody |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | June 23, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000287 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1810 (specific date); historically significant dates 1815-1916 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition and unaltered; completely renovated and restored after years of neglect; in use as the Peabody Historical Society headquarters and museum. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Washington Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.52302, -70.92451 (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 76000287.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5530797
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.