Platts-Bradstreet House
Why it's listed
Standing on Main Street just beyond the town green in Rowley, this timber-frame house dates to about 1677, when it is believed Samuel Platts built it on land he bought in 1660. Framing shows it began as a two-story, one-room-deep dwelling. A rear lean-to was added in the early eighteenth century, and between 1766 and 1770, after the property passed to Moses Bradstreet, the lean-to was raised to form a full two-and-a-half-story, two-room-deep house. Much of the interior finish dates from that period. A central chimney, a five-bay front and twelve-over-eight windows mark the exterior. A shoe shop, a barn and a raised ladder house stand nearby. Occupants included Abel Platts, an ensign in the 1690 Canada Expedition, and two Moses Bradstreets who served in the Revolution. The Rowley Historical Society has owned the house since the 1920s. The grounds may also hold archaeological evidence of early New England foodways and land use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a good example of a first-period house enlarged in the eighteenth century to meet changing needs, and it is tied to the early development of Rowley. Its framing shows the earlier lean-to form, and it retains interior paneling and an asymmetrical plan. Several occupants had military service, and the undisturbed grounds may yield archaeological information on early domestic life.
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 80000645, listed September 27, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Rowley |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | September 27, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000645 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1600-1699 |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Rowley Historical Society since the 1920s; listed as a museum, in good condition, with few alterations since the eighteenth century. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.71872, -70.87486 (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 80000645.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7202535
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.