Gould, Zaccheus, House
Why it's listed
Located at 73 Prospect Street in Topsfield, this five-bay, 2 1/2-story clapboarded house began around 1670 as a single-room structure built for Zaccheus Gould, possibly by his father John Gould, a prominent founder of the town. Around 1700 a second section was added on the left, creating a double-cell plan. Both First Period frames survive, with doubled framing members where they join. The older east room has a summer beam with a broad quarter-round chamfer and lamb's tongue stops, a relatively rare type. The later section has massive jowled corner posts, similar to those in the Stephen Foster House in Topsfield, suggesting the same carpenter may have worked on both. Second Period raised-field paneling, a bolection-molded fireplace surround and a corner cupboard were added later. A barn from about 1910 and an early twentieth-century rear ell remain on the rural, 7.3-acre setting above the Ipswich River.
Significance in brief: The house keeps two distinct First Period frames and embodies distinctive characteristics of form and construction under Criterion C. Its earlier summer beam shows a rare quarter-round chamfer with lamb's tongue stop without collar. The growth from a single-cell to a double-cell plan is typical of a larger group of First Period houses. The jowled corner posts match those in the Stephen Foster House in Topsfield, which may point to the same carpenter.
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 90000261, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 73 Prospect St., Topsfield |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000261 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; possibly built by John Gould for his son Zaccheus Gould |
| Architectural style | First Period core with Second Period overlay |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; the property is in present use as a residence. |
| Acreage | 7.3 |
| Within district | River Road-Cross Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.63354, -70.96011 (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 90000261.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8063766
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.