Smith, Hazadiah, House
Why it's listed
This house at 337 Cabot Street in Beverly dates to about 1686 and is a surviving example of First-Period construction. It began as a double-cell, central-chimney dwelling, and rear rooms and a new roof were added in the eighteenth century, leaving the chimney stack protruding through the front roof slope. Inside, the front rooms keep a complete system of decorated pine framing, including transverse summer beams, chamfered posts and girts, and molded jowls. A 9-foot fireplace opening is probably original. Deeds identify Hazadiah Smith as a carpenter who acquired the land and probably built the house, making it an early example of the simplified decorative system using bevel chamfers with lamb's tongue and taper stops. His son Hazadiah Jr. was also a carpenter, and his grandson Ebenezer, a silversmith, owned the house until 1817. The well-preserved frame and the link to three local craftsmen supported its listing for architecture and for the information the framing may offer.
Significance in brief: The house keeps its decorated First-Period pine frame, including transverse summer beams with bevel chamfers and lamb's tongue stops, and is significant under Criterion C. The visible frame uses chamfer and stop types in a consistent system, which could yield information on First-Period carpentry (Criterion D). It is also tied to three local craftsmen: Hazadiah Smith, his son Hazadiah Jr., and his grandson Ebenezer, a silversmith.
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 90000200, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 337 Cabot St., Beverly |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000200 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; Hazadiah Smith, house carpenter, is probably the builder |
| Architectural style | First Period |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residence; condition described as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.55459, -70.87822 (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 90000200.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5687525
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.