White-Preston House
Why it's listed
Set on 1.61 acres at 592 Maple Street in Danvers, this two and one half story clapboarded house dates to about 1722, when Samuel White may have built it. It began as a single-cell building, and rooms were added to the left of the chimney bay during the First Period. Around 1850 a rear file of rooms was added, the front wall was raised, and the roof was rebuilt with broad eaves and returns, giving the house a late Greek Revival vernacular look. Inside, flat-chamfered posts and girts with triangular stops survive in parts of the frame. The post in the left-hand chamber closely matches posts in the James Putnam, Jr., House in Danvers, suggesting a shared carpenter. Many timbers have been replaced, and the original roof framing and central chimney are gone. The house was listed for its potential to show how First Period buildings were constructed. A late 19th-century barn survives from earlier farm outbuildings.
Significance in brief: The house keeps some of its First Period frame, including chamfered posts and girts that closely resemble those in the James Putnam, Jr., House in Danvers. It may have been built by the same carpenter. Further study could yield information about First Period construction and regional building trends. It is considered eligible under Criterion D.
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 90000204, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 592 Maple St., Danvers |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000204 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period core with Late Greek Revival vernacular exterior |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good, and the property is in residential use. |
| Acreage | 1.6 |
| Coordinates | 42.59133, -70.97999 (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 90000204.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7994266
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.