House at 526 Prospect Street
Why it's listed
Built around 1840, this 2½-story clapboard house on Prospect Street in Methuen represents the Greek Revival style that shaped many local homes between 1830 and 1850. The east facade has five bays and a central entry, while the north facade repeats the treatment in three bays with a side entry. Windows have simple enframements and 6/6 sash, and the entries carry prominent entablatures and transoms. The larger north entry also has sidelights. Wide glazed cornerboards and a deep cornice with a pedimented gable are original features typical of the town's nineteenth-century Greek Revival houses. The house sits on a granite foundation and has had no major alterations. It stands in one of Methuen's earlier settled areas, near the site of the first meeting house. The land was once farmed, and early residents were likely farmers supplying produce to Lowell and Lawrence. The house was listed for its architectural quality and its well-preserved condition.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a well-preserved example of the Greek Revival houses built in Methuen between 1830 and 1850. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. It also stands in one of the earlier settled parts of town, near the site of the first meeting house.
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 84002394, listed January 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 526 Prospect St., Methuen |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | January 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002394 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| 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 recorded and no outbuildings remain. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.72871, -71.16122 (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 84002394.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5914384
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.