Woodbridge, Thomas March, House
Also known as: Woodbridge House
Why it's listed
Built around 1809 at 48 Bridge Street in Salem, this three-story brick house was constructed for Thomas March Woodbridge, a tanner who inherited the land from his father. It is attributed to Samuel McIntire, Salem's best-known architect. The five-bay Federal mansion is laid in Flemish bond and topped by a hip roof with four chimneys and a brick modillion cornice. The south doorway has an elliptical fanlight and sidelights, and the west entrance has a Greek pediment with Tuscan columns. Inside, the woodwork is the main attraction: carved rope-motif cornices, a staircase with an unusual double design ending in volutes, and chimney pieces carved with a basket of fruit, sheaves of wheat and Chinese fretwork. The main south porch was removed in the 1960s, but otherwise the exterior is thought to be little altered. The house was later preserved by the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities and, since 1955, has been maintained under a children's social service agency.
Significance in brief: It is regarded as an extremely well preserved Federal mansion attributed to Samuel McIntire, Salem's most famous architect. Most of the exterior is unaltered and the interior woodwork is substantially intact. The interior has carved cornices, chimney pieces and a double staircase.
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 75000304, listed March 31, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 48 Bridge St., Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | March 31, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000304 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | attributed to Samuel McIntire |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; used by a social service agency, with exterior changes in the 1960s including removal of the original entrance porch. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.53281, -70.88852 (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 75000304.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7792170
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.