Fowler, Rea Putnam, House
.jpg){kind=link}
Why it's listed
This house at 111 Locust Street in Danvers began about 1700 as a half house with an integral lean-to, built by the farmer Joshua Rea. Around 1725 a second cell with its own lean-to was added on the east. The oak frame of the original west section is exposed, while the later pine frame is boxed. Inside, the left-hand room has a chamfered summer beam with lamb's tongue stops and a post with a slot for a door bolt. A low end wall girt survives beside the stairs. The facade carries an original plaster cove cornice, one of only three remaining in the study area. The right-hand room has Second Period raised paneling and Federal finishes. In the 1930s the house was sensitively restored with advice from Dr. Arthur Stone. It was listed for its First Period frame and surviving plaster cornice, which show the evolution of early Essex County houses.
Significance in brief: The house keeps its First Period frame and an original plaster cove cornice, giving it integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. Its single-cell plan with integral lean-to is representative of many First Period buildings, and its low end wall girt at the chimney end was chosen by only a few carpenters. The plaster cove cornice is one of three remaining in the study area.
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 90000202, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4 Elerton Pl., Danvers |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000202 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Joshua Rea, farmer (builder); no architect |
| Architectural style | First Period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.57714, -70.93531 (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 90000202.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7300146
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.