Whipple, John, House
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Why it's listed
This 17th-century house at 53 South Main Street in Ipswich, Massachusetts, grew in three stages over several generations of the Whipple family. The first section, probably built around 1640, was a one-room, two-story structure with a large end chimney. Captain John Whipple Jr. more than doubled its size in 1670 with an eastern addition featuring carved overhang beams, triple-light windows and crossed summer beams. A later John Whipple added a rear lean-to after 1700, giving the house its present form. The first John Whipple was a settler of Agawam, later Ipswich, and served as deputy to the General Court, selectman, deacon and ruling elder. The Ipswich Historical Society bought the house in the 1890s and restored it, and in 1927 the house was moved about one block to its current site near the South Green. It is now a museum with a period herb garden. It was recognized as an exceptional record of early colonial New England settlement.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the earliest New England houses and a remarkable example of a 17th-century dwelling developed over many years. Its three distinct units show how workmanship and architectural detail changed as the Whipple descendants grew away from their English origins. It is called an exceptional record of New England settlement in the early Colonial period.
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 66000791, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 53 S. Main St., Ipswich |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000791 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1600-1699 |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated October 9, 1960 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Ipswich Historical Society and operated as a house museum; moved in 1927 about one block from its original site, and restored in 1892 and in the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | South Green Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.67663, -70.83610 (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 66000791.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6263758
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.