Holt Farm
Why it's listed
Holt Farm is a farmhouse at 89 Prospect Road in Andover, built between about 1708 and 1715 by Nicholas Holt III, grandson of one of the town's original proprietors. The 2½-story wood-shingled house has a gable roof with an integral leanto, a large center chimney, a five-bay facade facing south and a glazed center entry porch. It sits on Holt's Hill, set well back from the road, with a converted barn among its outbuildings. The estate grew into one of Andover's largest landholdings, reaching about a mile in radius from the house, and seven generations of the Holt family farmed it until the 1880s. The house is notable for its original framework, early interiors and remote setting. It was listed for its long link to a family prominent in the growth of eastern Andover and as an important example of how an early farmhouse form evolved, while keeping its integrity of design, materials, workmanship and setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is significant for its long association with the Holt family, farmers prominent in the development of eastern Andover, and as an important example of the evolution of a farmhouse of the earlier colonial type. It retains integrity of design, materials, workmanship and setting. It is described as meeting Criteria A and C.
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 82004819, listed June 10, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 89 Prospect Rd., Andover |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | June 10, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004819 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Nicholas Holt III (original owner and builder) |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; a barn on the property has been converted. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.63819, -71.10893 (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 82004819.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715550
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.