Hersey, Ebenezer B., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1843 by Ebenezer B. Hersey, a painter, this small Greek Revival cottage at 57 Coddington Street in Quincy is a modest one-and-a-half story, side-hall-plan house on a granite foundation. Its facade has a closed pediment and a recessed side entrance with two windows alongside. A plain cornice wraps beneath the eaves, and Doric pilasters mark the corners. The doorway has a simple flat entablature and sidelights reaching the floor. A one-story rear addition was in place by 1876, and the exterior is clad in wood shingles. Hersey bought the land in 1842 from Seth Spear and his wife Elizabeth, whose large farm once covered the area. The property later passed to Home Associates and then to Walter H. Dunbar in 1920. The house is one of a few well-preserved examples of a type common in mid-nineteenth-century Quincy, and one of a handful of surviving nineteenth-century buildings on its street. It retains its original design and materials and is significant locally for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The house is one of a few well-preserved examples of a modest Greek Revival residence type that was common in Quincy in the mid-nineteenth century. It retains integrity of design, location, materials, feeling and association, and is significant at the local level for its architecture. It is also one of a few surviving cottages and farmhouses on Coddington and Spear Streets, most of which have been altered.
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 89001324, listed September 20, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 57 Coddington St., Quincy |
|---|---|
| County | Norfolk County |
| Listed | September 20, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001324 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Ebenezer B. Hersey (builder); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; present use is residence/office. Not moved. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.25273, -71.00002 (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 89001324.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q136026563
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.