House at 4 Birch Avenue
Why it's listed
Built around 1910 on Birch Avenue in Methuen, this two-story, gable-roofed house reflects the rustic, style-conscious homebuilding popular in the town at the turn of the century. Its shingled walls are paired with a porch trimmed in fieldstone, oversized turned balusters and a conical-roofed corner section. A small barn of stone and shingle stands behind the house. Although the survey describes the design as not a true Bungalow, it recalls the work of California builders of the period. The house was listed because it retains its location, design, setting, materials and workmanship and is a well-conserved example from Methuen's last major phase of residential growth. Dwellings like this one were usually built by local carpenters and bought by the town's middle class. The architect is unknown, and the survey records no major alterations and no move. It remains a private residence, as it was originally.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a good example of the rustic, style-conscious residential building seen in Methuen around the turn of the century. It is also described as a well-conserved dwelling from the town's last major period of residential development. The form says it meets criterion C and retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship.
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 84002374, listed January 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4 Birch Ave., Methuen |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | January 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002374 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Bungalow (the form notes it is not a true Bungalow but evokes the work of California builders) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is a private residence, the same as its original use; no major alterations are noted and the building has not been moved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.72777, -71.14898 (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 84002374.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914354
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.