Fox Hill School
Why it's listed
Built in 1879 on a corner lot at Water and Endicott Streets in Danversport, this one-room schoolhouse is a 1 1/2-story wood-frame building with a front-facing gable, clapboard siding and a rubblestone foundation. Its east facade has two identical entrances, one for girls and one for boys, each beneath a shallow pediment. Local builder George W. Russell won the contract with a $795 bid, the lowest of five. The school was meant to hold 35 children in grades one through three and remained in continuous use for early primary grades until 1964, then served as a kindergarten until 1974. It is thought to be the last school in Danvers built in the conservative Greek Revival style, and it is one of only two intact district schools left in the town. Restoration returned the chestnut wainscot and trim to their original finish. Today it operates as a daycare center and hosts evening community functions.
Significance in brief: It is one of only two surviving intact district schools in Danvers and served local young children continuously from 1879 to 1974. It retains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship and association. It is a well-preserved, late example of the traditional Greek Revival schoolhouse form, meeting Criteria A and C at the local level.
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 87002554, listed February 10, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 81 Water St., Danvers |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | February 10, 1988 |
| Reference number | 87002554 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1879-1937 |
| Architect / builder | George Russell |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century-Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a childcare center and available for evening local functions; restored with original interior finishes returned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.55043, -70.92279 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 87002554.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5476728
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.