Humphreys, Sir John, House
Also known as: Burrill House
Why it's listed
Built around 1700, this five-bay, two-and-a-half-story house at 99 Paradise Road in Swampscott has a central chimney, a rear lean-to and a framed overhanging second story on its front. It was moved to its present site in 1891 to make way for the Frederick Law Olmsted landscape design for Monument Avenue. Documents suggest it was built either by John Burrill Sr., who owned it from 1700 to 1703, or by his son Ebenezer Burrill, who occupied it from 1703 to 1761. Much of the interior is boxed and sheathed with later 18th-century finish work, but the house keeps a First Period frame of quality craftsmanship. Its single transverse summer beam on the first floor, paired with two transverse ties on the second, is described as unique. The large scale of the original room, notable jetties, and 18th-century painted walls add to its interest. The frame may reveal more about early Massachusetts building practice, and possibly about two older frames joined together.
Significance in brief: The house retains a quality First Period frame with notable exterior jetties and unusually large proportions, meeting Criterion C. Its framing, including a unique single transverse summer beam at the first story with two transverse ties above, could yield further information about Massachusetts First Period buildings (Criterion D). Despite the move, it retains integrity of design, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
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 90000258, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 99 Paradise Rd., Swampscott |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000258 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; probably built by John Burrill Sr. or his son Ebenezer Burrill |
| Architectural style | First Period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; present use is residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Olmsted Subdivision Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.47270, -70.91785 (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 90000258.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715641
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.