Southwick House
Also known as: John Southwick House
Why it's listed
Southwick House at 151 Lowell Street in Peabody, Massachusetts, is a wood-frame gambrel-roofed house built around 1750. It has two and a half stories, a center chimney with two flues, a symmetrical five-bay facade and a rear ell that creates a "Beverly Jog." Local tradition dates it to about 1660, but its architectural features point to the mid-18th century, probably during the ownership of Ebenezer Southwick. The interior keeps most of its original floor plan, floorboards, panelling and trim, and the house was restored in the 1970s. Its importance rests on its Georgian vernacular design and on the Southwick family, early Peabody settlers who farmed, tanned leather and operated pottery kilns producing black glazed redwares nearby. John Southwick, a Quaker, held several town duties in the 1600s. The land may also contain buried remains of structures and ceramic-related artifacts spanning more than 250 years of occupation.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent, well-preserved example of vernacular Georgian architecture in Peabody. It is also tied to the early settlement of Peabody and to the Southwick family, prominent in local industry, agriculture and commerce in the 18th and 19th centuries. The site may also hold buried remains related to the local ceramics industry.
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 83003974, listed November 29, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 151 Lowell St., Peabody |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | November 29, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003974 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence in excellent condition, carefully restored in the 1970s. |
| Acreage | 31.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.53075, -70.93607 (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 83003974.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7571469
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.