Lambert, Thomas, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1699 by Thomas Lambert, Jr., who brought his bride there that year, this house at 142 Main Street in Rowley is a five-bay, 2 1/2-story clapboarded dwelling facing the town training place. The Lambert family kept it until 1977. Visible First Period framing survives in the right-hand front room and chamber, including an oak summer beam with flat chamfers and lamb's tongue stops and a partly exposed fireplace wall. Joist spacing in the left-hand room is narrower, which suggests that side is contemporary with the right or older, and only that room has a cellar. Rear rooms were added in the 18th century, and by the mid-19th century the roof had been rebuilt to make a full two-room-deep house. Later features include an early Second Period staircase, Greek Revival mantels and a Gothic Revival-trimmed barn. Its well-preserved early frame is the basis for its architectural significance.
Significance in brief: The right-hand rooms keep an intact First Period frame with oak summer beams, chamfers and lamb's tongue stops, typical of the turn of the 18th century. The nomination argues the house keeps integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship under Criterion C. The left-hand rooms may be as early or earlier, though this cannot be confirmed without opening the frame.
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 90000256, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 142 Main St., Rowley |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000256 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Thomas Lambert, Jr. (builder); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | First Period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good; present use is residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.71503, -70.88024 (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 90000256.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7791685
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.