House on Labor-in-Vain Road
Also known as: Belosellsky House; Bellosellski House
Why it's listed
This house on Labor-in-Vain Road in Ipswich is a five-bay, one-room-deep, 2 1/2-story clapboarded dwelling dated after 1720. Its exposed frame in the right-hand room and chamber has flat chamfers with lamb's tongue stops, and the chimney post carries a rare extra stop at the floor end. The staircase has a handrail molded on both sides and turned balusters in an early Second Period profile, nearly matching those in the Smith House at 142 Argilla Road. Together these features show rural craftsmen blending older framing traditions with newer decorative fashions. Later changes include a side ell of about 1810, a raised lean-to dormer, and rear wings added when the building served as a country club house in the 20th century. Early 20th-century restoration opened the right-hand room to the lean-to. The house was listed for its architectural character and for what it can reveal about local carpentry in a transitional period. It stands in a private, rural setting overlooking salt marsh.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house retains integrity and embodies distinctive construction: a chamfered frame combined with early Second Period turned balusters shows how rural craftsmen gradually adopted Renaissance-inspired decoration (Criterion C). Compared with the nearby Smith House, it is likely to yield information on carpentry practices in Ipswich during the transitional period (Criterion D). Its chimney post with stops at both ends of the chamfer is a rare variant.
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 90000234, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Labor in Vain Rd., Ipswich |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000234 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | 1st Period core, 2nd Period finish; late Second Period Vernacular exterior trim |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; condition listed as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.67796, -70.80553 (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 90000234.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5915665
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.