Gott House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
This small gambrel-roofed cottage on Gott Avenue in Rockport, Massachusetts, sits in an isolated setting off Granite Avenue on the road to Halibut Point. The original eastern part is three bays wide and two rooms deep, built with plank walls sometime between 1702 and about 1730. Inside, the exposed summer beam has flat chamfers and lamb's tongue stops, and braces show on the west wall of the rear room. The framing and 23-inch joist spacing support a date in the early 1700s, though the roof suggests a Second Period date, making the house a transitional example. A two-bay addition was made on the west in the mid-18th century. It has raised-field paneling, a paneled dado and a corner cupboard with an arched door. The house has been recognized for its First Period construction features and its retained integrity. It remains in residential use, in good condition, with a 20th-century potting shed on the lot.
Significance in brief: The house keeps First Period features: a plank frame, an original single-cell plan, and an exposed, decorated summer beam. Its gambrel roof points to a Second Period date, which makes it one of the smaller number of transitional houses. It meets Criterion C and retains integrity of design, location, workmanship, feeling and association.
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 90000255, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Gott Ave. at Gott Ln., Rockport |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000255 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1702-c. 1730 |
| Architectural style | First Period (transitional First to Second Period), with Second Period vernacular trim |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good; present use is residential, the same as its original use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.68725, -70.63088 (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 90000255.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5587953
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.