Putnam, James, Jr., House
Why it's listed
Built about 1715 by James Putnam Jr. for his father, this house at 42 Summer Street in Danvers began as a four-room, double-cell dwelling. Its exposed framing shows chamfered summer beams with simple triangular stops, and the second-floor posts have an unusual shape that is neither a true flare nor a true jowl. Around 1780 Archelaus Putnam, a physician and Danvers selectman, added a file of rooms to the south with a central hall, rear fireplaces and a broad gambrel roof. The addition has raised-panel fireplace walls, molded chair rails, cornices and a turned-baluster staircase. The result was an uncommon house form that approximates a Second Period double-pile house. Col. Timothy Pickering, who had served as Secretary of War and Secretary of State, leased the property from 1802 to 1804 and carried out farming experiments here. The building is recognized for its architectural integrity and its association with these figures. It remains a residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house keeps an intact First Period frame with an unusual post form that combines features of the jowl and the flare. It is also notable for the c. 1780 enlargement that gave a First Period house the form of a Second Period double-pile house. Its residents included James Putnam Jr., Dr. Archelaus Putnam and Col. Timothy Pickering, who leased it from 1802 to 1804.
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 90000205, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 42 Summer St., Danvers |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000205 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by James Putnam Jr. (yeoman and brickbuilder), per local records |
| Architectural style | First Period core; Second Period envelope |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.57601, -70.94892 (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 90000205.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6141507
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.