Whittemore House
Why it's listed
Built around 1700 at 179 Washington Street in Gloucester, this two-story, five-bay house is an example of First Period construction hidden behind a later exterior. Its clapboarded walls carry plain 19th-century trim and a bracketed door hood, and the central chimney has been removed. Inside, the frame shows an original single-cell structure with a second cell added to the right of the chimney bay during the First Period. Exposed summer beams, chamfered girts and a chimney post show lamb's tongue and triangular stops, and the decoration differs between the two parts of the frame. This offers a way to study how Gloucester carpenters' framing styles changed. Concealed framing may hold further information. The house also has a link to marine painter Fitz Hugh Lane (1804-1865), whose first studio was in the west room when his brother owned the property. It sits beside Oak Grove Cemetery on a mixed residential and commercial street.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house retains integrity and shows distinctive First Period form and construction (Criterion C). The second cell added in the First Period is typical of many First Period houses, and the decoration of the two parts of the frame lets researchers study how Gloucester carpenters' framing decoration evolved. Its concealed framing could also yield information on local framing practices (Criterion D). It is also tied to the painter Fitz Hugh Lane, whose first studio was in the house.
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 90000218, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 179 Washington St., Gloucester |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000218 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | First Period with Federal vernacular exterior |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded in good condition and in use as a residence; a garage is the only outbuilding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.61872, -70.67396 (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 90000218.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716034
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.