Sutton Block
Also known as: Colonial Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1859 at the corner of Main and Wallis Streets in Peabody, this three-story Italianate commercial block was erected by Ebenezer Sutton, a woolen manufacturer, railroad director and militia colonel. Its red brick walls are trimmed with brownstone and granite, with segmentally arched windows and an elaborate bracketed wood cornice. The original hip roof was replaced with a flat roof, and the ground-floor storefront dates from the mid-twentieth century. At the time, Main Street was almost entirely residential, so a building constructed specifically for commerce was unusual and anticipated the later growth of the downtown. It remains the only Italianate commercial building in the city. Tenants included a grocery from the 1880s to the late 1920s. The third-floor Sutton Hall served as the town's main dance hall and hosted the Knights of Pythias, a Jewish folk school, a WPA office and other groups. The upper hall is now vacant.
Significance in brief: The block is tied to Ebenezer Sutton, a leading nineteenth-century woolen industrialist. It was among the earliest purpose-built commercial buildings on a largely residential Main Street, foreshadowing the expansion of Peabody's commercial center. It is also the city's only Italianate commercial block.
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 85002012, listed September 5, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 76--78 Main St., Peabody |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | September 5, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002012 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1859 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ground-floor commercial space has been continuously occupied since the 1940s; the third-floor Sutton Hall is now vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.52517, -70.92494 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 85002012.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7650217
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.