Fowler House
Why it's listed
Built in 1810, this four-square brick house at 166 High Street in Danversport was commissioned by Samuel Fowler, Jr. from the builders Stephen Whipple and Levi Preston. The two-story house has five-bay elevations, six-over-six windows, fanlit entrances, a truncated hip roof with a widow's walk, four end chimneys and a granite foundation. A brick ell and a later addition stand at the rear. Inside, original wallpapers survive, including a hand-blocked Pompeian Medallion design in the front hall, along with hand carving such as egg-and-dart mouldings and reeding. The house stayed in the Fowler family until 1912, when it passed to the preservation society's founder. Fowler built a business in mills and tanning in what was then New Mills, and he and his sons served Danvers as selectmen and in other civic roles. The house was recognized for remaining substantially unaltered and as a good example of Country Federal architecture.
Significance in brief: The house has remained substantially unaltered since 1810 and is a good example of Country Federal period architecture. It was the homestead of Samuel Fowler, Jr., an important commercial figure in Danvers in the first half of the 19th century. The civic involvement of Fowler and his children also makes it important to local history and government.
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 74000367, listed September 17, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 166 High St., Danversport |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | September 17, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000367 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1810) |
| Architect / builder | Stephen Whipple and Levi Preston (builders) |
| Architectural style | Country Federal |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, and occupied; owned by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, with some original Fowler family furnishings on view. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.55620, -70.92422 (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 74000367.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5476416
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.