Hardy, Urias, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1900 at 50 Brown Street in Methuen, this gambrel-roofed house combines Shingle Style and Colonial Revival features. It is clad in shingles and rests on a granite foundation. A projecting two-story portico with a gabled pediment, carried on two Corinthian columns, marks the front, and an elliptical window is set into the gable. The house was built for Urias Hardy, an overseer at the nearby Arlington Mills. It was stylish, spacious and costly to build, in contrast with the workers' houses of the Arlington District directly to the south. It represents the substantial homes put up for managers and professionals as Methuen developed new residential areas and became a bedroom town for Lawrence. It also belongs to the last period of single-family house building before World War II. The form notes that the house has no major alterations and retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship, which supports its listing for architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a well-preserved example of the substantial homes built for managers and professionals in Methuen at the turn of the century. Built for Urias Hardy, an overseer at the nearby Arlington Mills, it contrasts with the workers' housing of the Arlington District to the south. It also reflects Methuen's growth as a bedroom town for Lawrence and the last period of single-family house building before World War II.
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 84002367, listed January 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 50 Brown St., Methuen |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | January 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002367 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present and original use is a private residence; the form reports no major alterations, no outbuildings and no move. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.72305, -71.17947 (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 84002367.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7900559
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.