Old Garrison House
Why it's listed
Built around 1700 on Granite Street in Rockport, this house is an unusual survivor of squared log construction in colonial Massachusetts. Tamarack logs, hewn square and joined with dovetailed corners, form the walls of the original two-room core, and the south facade has a framed overhang. Beams carry delicate cyma moldings. Documents place Joshua Norwood and his wife in residence by 1702, on land deeded to his father in 1688. Local legend links the house to a 1675 garrison and to Elizabeth Procter, though the form treats these as tradition. Between 1778 and 1824, under Moses Wheeler, a stairhall and rooms were added to the north and the main facade turned to face east. A kitchen wing followed about 1850. In 1925 Oliver E. Williams bought the property, and his son Thomas, an architect, directed a careful restoration that removed later finishes and brought in period material from other houses. A barn, two sheds and terraced garden remains survive on the grounds.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the principal remaining example of squared log construction in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, meeting criterion C. It also shows how a First Period house was enlarged in the late 18th century into a through-hall plan, and it represents early 20th century private restoration.
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 90000254, listed March 4, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 188 Granite St., Rockport |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 4, 1991 |
| Reference number | 90000254 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; restored in the late 1920s under Thomas Williams, an architect, for his father Oliver E. Williams |
| Architectural style | First Period, with Second and Third Period alterations and additions |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as a residence in good condition; not moved. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.68090, -70.62766 (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 90000254.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7084078
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.