Perkins, John, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1710-1720 at 75 Arbor Street in Wenham, this five-bay clapboarded house began as a single-cell dwelling and was enlarged within a generation by a second room and a lean-to. Simple Colonial Revival trim, including an open pedimented porch, covers an early frame. Inside, exposed chamfered beams, girts and posts survive in several rooms, and the roof framing of principal rafters and purlins shows that the two added bays were built in a separate campaign. The frame is considered typical of early 18th-century work in its slim timbers and sparse decoration, while a transverse summer beam and differing room depths are unusual and may reflect reused timbers. A late 19th-century photograph shows a two-story porch with an overhanging upper floor, and chamfering on a beam edge hints it may have been original. The property was a large farm until about 1900, and a 19th-century barn remains on the landscaped grounds.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house keeps integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship in its late First Period frame, which is representative of early 18th-century framing with meager decoration and slim timbers (Criterion C). The added second cell and lean-to show typical First Period growth patterns, though the transverse summer beam is atypical. The front wall may also hold rare evidence of a two-story porch (Criterion D).
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 90000269, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 75 Arbor St., Wenham |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000269 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period core with Colonial Revival exterior |
| 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, as it was originally. |
| Acreage | 6.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.61359, -70.88816 (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 90000269.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6252574
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.