Herrick, Ella Proctor, House
Why it's listed
Set one foot from Concord Street in a rural, isolated part of Gloucester not far from the Essex River, this 2 1/2-story shingled house began as a single-cell late 17th century building made up of the left-hand rooms and chimney bay. A file of rooms was added on the right in the 18th century, and early 20th century remodeling for hospital use brought a full lean-to dormer and a small rear shed. Inside, the left-hand room keeps a chamfered summer beam, original clay plaster, and a rare segmentally arched rear doorway. The attic shows evidence of a purlin roof with hewn purlins. A workman reportedly found a brick dated 1672 when the central chimney was replaced in 1910. If deed research confirms that date and the lean-to proves original, the house would predate the earliest known integral lean-to in New England by 11 years. The Proctor and Bray families are traditionally associated with the site.
Significance in brief: The house keeps its First Period frame and surviving original finish, with integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. A brick dated 1672 was reportedly found during a 1910 chimney replacement, which could make its possible integral lean-to the earliest known in New England if confirmed. Its segmentally arched rear doorway is a rare example of decorative First Period carpentry.
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 90000213, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 189 Concord St., Gloucester |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000213 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period core with 19th and early 20th century Colonial vernacular exterior |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded in 1985 as in good condition and in use as a residence; renovations were under way, with finishes recently removed from some rooms. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.64248, -70.72351 (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 90000213.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5364559
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.