Swampscott Fish House
Also known as: Fish House
Why it's listed
Built in 1896 on Humphrey Street beside Blaney Beach, also called Fishermen's Beach, this large shingled building was erected by the Town of Swampscott to replace a scatter of small, informal fish houses that residents considered eyesores. Henry W. Rogers of Lynn designed it with a symmetrical Colonial Revival form, a two-story central pavilion and a skin of wood shingles, so that it resembled the summer houses of the resort era. Inside, sixteen rental lockers on the ground floor served fishermen, with a meeting room and common storage above and a sail loft on the top level. The nomination calls it the only known municipally built fish house in Massachusetts. It has been used continuously by the local fleet, now chiefly lobstermen. Later changes include a 1930 south dormer, new roofing in 1972 and a dark red stain applied since 1961. The town has funded repairs and restoration.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the only known municipally built fish house in Massachusetts and has been in continuous use as a commercial fish house. It also reflects Swampscott's long fishing industry. Its Colonial Revival and Shingle style design echoes the high-style summer cottages of the resort era.
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 85001120, listed May 16, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Humphrey St., Swampscott |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | May 16, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001120 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896 |
| Architect / builder | Henry W. Rogers (architect); Peleg Gardner (principal contractor) |
| Architectural style | Shingle style with Colonial Revival influences |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In continuous use since construction; all sixteen lockers rented in 1985, and town funds were appropriated for repair and restoration. Condition listed as fair and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.46771, -70.90967 (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 85001120.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7653392
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.