Spofford-Barnes House
Why it's listed
Built in 1749 by the housewright Paul Pritchard, this 2½-story Colonial house on Kelsey Road in East Boxford began as a saltbox and was raised, enlarged and updated in the 1790s, 1852, 1860, 1877 and about 1928. It has a five-bay clapboard facade, a massive center chimney and a two-story ell. The house is tied to Lydia Warren Spofford, who in 1775 is said to have captured a British soldier, the first prisoner of the Revolutionary War. Her husband Benjamin Spofford was central to Boxford's "sheep case," which led to the 1825 founding of the Third Congregational Church. Inside, the west parlor's raised-panel woodwork, with fluted pilasters, was once sought by the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The grounds also matter: from 1926 to 1961 the Kelsey Nurseries operated here, leaving a mature arboretum of rare rhododendrons, azaleas, trees and shrubs.
Significance in brief: It was the home of Lydia Warren Spofford, credited with taking the first prisoner of the Revolutionary War in 1775, and of Benjamin Spofford, a key figure in the 1825 formation of Boxford's Third Congregational Church. It is also a well-preserved Colonial with notable interior paneling, and its grounds hold the mature show plantings of the Kelsey Nurseries.
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 74000366, listed September 6, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Kelsey Rd., Boxford |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | September 6, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000366 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century (specific dates 1749, 1789) |
| Architect / builder | Paul Pritchard, housewright |
| Architectural style | Colonial (center entrance, center chimney, originally saltbox) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, altered and moved; occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 5.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.68370, -70.98450 (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 74000366.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7578809
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.