Johnson, Capt. Timothy, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1720 on Stevens Street in North Andover, this 2 1/2 story gambrel-roofed house has a central chimney, a symmetrical five-bay facade and a 19th-century rear ell. It is the third house on the site; earlier houses dated from 1704 and 1708, when Timothy Johnson bought the land. The interior blends First Period details, such as exposed beams with quirked beading, with early Second Period work, including raised-field paneling and bolection molding in the original parlor. The gambrel peak is formed from a single curved piece of wood, an unusual early feature. A cast iron fireback bearing the arms of George I was found during the 1966 restoration. Johnson became a captain in 1737, served in the 1745 Louisburg expedition, sat in the General Court and moderated town meetings. His son Colonel Samuel Johnson, a Revolutionary War officer, inherited the house in 1771, and it stayed in the family until 1918.
Significance in brief: The house keeps its transitional frame and detailing, mixing First Period and early Second Period features, which supports eligibility for architecture. Its unusual single-piece gambrel peak and integral lean-to framing in a four-room plan may yield information on architectural and social history. It is also tied to Captain Timothy Johnson, a prominent local officer, legislator and landowner.
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 90000249, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 18--20 Stevens St., North Andover |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000249 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period / Transitional |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good; the house was restored in 1966 and is in residential use. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.69885, -71.11099 (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 90000249.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5036480
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.