The Abraham Adams House is a historic
First Period
First Period is an American architecture style originating between approximately 1626 and 1725, used primarily by British colonists during the settlement of the British colonies of North America, particularly in Massachusetts and Virginia. ...
house in
Newbury, Massachusetts
Newbury is a town
A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, ...
. Its oldest portion dates to between 1705 and 1707, and its interior retains a number of First and Second Period colonial features. It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1990.
Description and history
The Abraham Adams House stands in a residential subdivision in the
Byfield area of Newbury. It is set on the north side of Pearson Drive, on a parcel. It is a story wood-frame house, whose main block, its oldest portion, has a gabled roof, central chimney, and clapboarded exterior. Later additions include a two-story ell projecting from the rear of the house, to which is connected a single story modern addition, giving the whole house an "I" shape.
The main part of the house was probably built between 1705 and 1707, based on an analysis of the construction methods used. It was built by Abraham Adams, a farmer and sea captain who was married to the granddaughter of jurist
Samuel Sewall
Samuel Sewall (; March 28, 1652 – January 1, 1730) was a judge, businessman, and printer in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, best known for his involvement in the Salem witch trials, for which he later apologized, and his essay ''The Selling ...
. Three of the four chambers in the oldest portion have exposed oak timbers with chamfered corners, while the fourth chamber and the first ell have Second Period fireplace surrounds. The house was surrounded by hayfields until the construction of the surrounding subdivision in the 1980s; as a consequence, it was known for many years as "High Fields".
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See also
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References
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Houses in Newbury, Massachusetts
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Essex County, Massachusetts
Houses completed in 1705