Summer Street may be the oldest public way in Ipswich, and in the earliest days of the settlement was called Stony Street, or simply “The Way to the River. ” Thomas Franklin Waters wrote that for two centuries it was Annable’s Lane, named after settler John Annable. In the Colonial years, streets tended to be named for topographical features or for who lived on them. By the 19th Century, communities in New England were old and well-established, the origins of the early street names forgotten. Many towns, including Ipswich, renamed their thoroughfares with more universal names. The photo below is the west side of lower Summer Street, with the old road between the house and the current Summer Street. In the earliest years, the east side of lower Summer Street was mostly orchard.
10 Summer Street, the Charles and Abigail Cotton / Moses Harris House (1838) - The Moses Harris house at 10 Summer Street is listed in the Ipswich assessors office as having been constructed in 1838. The pilasters surrounding the front door, the roof rakes and cornice returns are wide, typical of the Greek Revival architectural era. Moses Harris was the son of Thomas and Hannah (Soward) Harris, and married… Continue reading 10 Summer Street, the Charles and Abigail Cotton / Moses Harris House (1838) 
11 Summer Street, the Nathaniel Hovey house (1718) - Nathaniel Hovey Sr. lived only to the age of 28, about the time of the birth of his son Nathaniel Jr. in 1696. This house was probably built by the younger Hovey. The asymmetrical layout of the front of this house is because Hovey built a half house and expanded it later. A modified Beverly jog is on the left.… Continue reading 11 Summer Street, the Nathaniel Hovey house (1718) 
12 Summer Street, the Ezra W. Lord house (1848) - This was the childhood home of Walter Ezra Lord, born January 22, 1856. He graduated from the high school with the class of 1871, and established himself in a general dry goods business in Ipswich, and was regarded as one of the substantial men of that town. He served 5 years as a selectman, and in 1895 was chosen representative of Ipswich in the lower house of the General Court.… Continue reading 12 Summer Street, the Ezra W. Lord house (1848) 
13 Summer Street, the Daniel Clark house (1872) - This lot with a house was purchased by Daniel Clark, in 1872. The old house is believed to have been moved to 5 County Street, and the present house was erected. It served as Phillip Clark's funeral home.… Continue reading 13 Summer Street, the Daniel Clark house (1872) 
14 Summer St., the Isaiah Rogers house (c 1870) - The first known owner of 14 Summer St. Is Isaiah Rogers, shown on the 1872 Ipswich map. The property was sold in 1886 to Sara Fellows Lord.… Continue reading 14 Summer St., the Isaiah Rogers house (c 1870) 
15 Summer Street, the Jonathan Pulcifer house (1718) - Jonathan Pulcifer built this house in 1718 on Summer Street, one of the "oldest ways" in Ipswich. He was a descendant of Benjamin Pulsipher, an early settler of Ipswich who died in 1695.… Continue reading 15 Summer Street, the Jonathan Pulcifer house (1718) 
16 Summer Street, the Treadwell house (1852) - The house at 16 Summer Street was built by the husband of William Treadwell's daughter Elizabeth. … Continue reading 16 Summer Street, the Treadwell house (1852) 
17 Summer St., the William and Margaret Chapman house (after 1832) - Margaret L. Chapman, wife of William Chapman, died Nov. 21, 1889, aged 80 yrs, 10 mos. William Chapman, son of Jedediah Chapman, died July 24, 1899, aged 86 years, 3 months.… Continue reading 17 Summer St., the William and Margaret Chapman house (after 1832) 
19 Summer Street, the Solomon Lakeman house (before 1745) - This lot was owned or occupied by Solomon Lakeman in 1745, but could have been constructed earlier. The 1832 map shows the owner as "The widow Lakeman."… Continue reading 19 Summer Street, the Solomon Lakeman house (before 1745) 
24 Summer Street, the William E. Barton house (1884) - This house first appears in the 1884 Ipswich village map under the ownership of J. E. Barton. In the 1910 map it belongs to William J. Barton. … Continue reading 24 Summer Street, the William E. Barton house (1884) 
27 Summer Street, the Thomas Knowlton house (1688) - Humphrey Bradstreet. sold his house and land to Deacon Thomas Knowlton in 1646. In 1688 Knowlton passed his house and land to his grand nephew Nathaniel Knowlton with a new house erected on the property, and it is this house that survives today.… Continue reading 27 Summer Street, the Thomas Knowlton house (1688) 
3 Summer Street, the Benjamin Kimball house (Thomas Smith “currier” c 1720-30, moved in 1803) - This house dates to about 1720 and was a single-floor 2 room cape moved to this location in 1803. The first floor outside corners have gunstock posts, evidence that they once supported the roof. … Continue reading 3 Summer Street, the Benjamin Kimball house (Thomas Smith “currier” c 1720-30, moved in 1803) 
30 Summer Street, the Smith-Barton house (moved 1880) - The house at 30-32 Summer Street may have been the High Street home of Daniel Smith, and was moved to the current location in the 1880’s by John Conley. The house was occupied by Civil War Veteran John Barton.… Continue reading 30 Summer Street, the Smith-Barton house (moved 1880) 
31 Summer Street, the Bartlett house (c 1870) - Ezekiel Bartlett sold this property to Frederick Willcomb in 1872. The decorative brackets under the soffets and porch roof are Italianate, suggesting a mid-century construction.… Continue reading 31 Summer Street, the Bartlett house (c 1870) 
36 Summer Street, the John Brocklebank house (1856) - The Brocklebank family in Essex County traces its roots to John Brocklebank Sr. born about 1630 in Yorkshire, England, who moved with his wife Sarah to Rowley, MA in 1657. Jenny Ellsworth came into possession of this house and 38 Summer St. in 1930.… Continue reading 36 Summer Street, the John Brocklebank house (1856) 
37 Summer Street, the William H. Jewett house (b 1872) - The elegant Cape Cod Colonial at 37 Summer Street first appears as the W. Jewett house in the 1872 Ipswich map, although the town website lists the date of construction as 1825.… Continue reading 37 Summer Street, the William H. Jewett house (b 1872) 
38 Summer Street, the William M. and Jennie Ellsworth house (1881) - This house was built by William Merrill Ellsworth and his wife Jenny (Lord) Ellsworth. Two similar houses side by side are on the same lot in the 1910 map, owned by Mrs. Jennie Ellsworth. … Continue reading 38 Summer Street, the William M. and Jennie Ellsworth house (1881) 
39 Summer Street, the Foster – Grant house (1717) - In 1717 Nathaniel Knowlton sold a small lot to James Foster who is believed to have built the house. In 1826, the family sold to Ephriam Grant, and the house was long known as the "Grant house." Early Colonial features are preserved throughout the house.… Continue reading 39 Summer Street, the Foster – Grant house (1717) 
4-6 Summer Street, the Cotton-Nourse house (1840) - Ebenezer Russell sold this lot to Charles C. Cotton, Feb. 27, 1840. Cotton built a double house, and sold half of the house with a partition running through it, and half of a barn to Foster Russell and Daniel P. Nourse in Feb. 1841. Cotton retained half of the house, but by the late 19th Century the house was owned solely by the Nourse family.… Continue reading 4-6 Summer Street, the Cotton-Nourse house (1840) 
40 Summer Street, the Denison Rust house (b 1872) - Denison Rust deeded the house to Vallancourt E. Rust in 1906. In the late 20th Century this house was owned by the Brockelbank family.… Continue reading 40 Summer Street, the Denison Rust house (b 1872) 
43 Summer Street, the Wilcomb-Pinder house (1718) - This timber-framed First Period house was built in 1718 by William Wilcomb. The interior of the home features hand-hewn summer beams, wide plank flooring and the original fireplaces. The next owner, William Benjamin Pinder was a corporal with Col. Appleton’s company during the French and Indian War.… Continue reading 43 Summer Street, the Wilcomb-Pinder house (1718) 
46 Summer Street, the James Foster house (1720) - James Foster bought this former orchard land in 1720 from Nathaniel Clark who moved to Newbury. The northwest side is the original half-house, which was doubled in size and remodeled to appear Georgian, with the two chimneys, dormers and a symmetrical front. The house was owned by the Soward family in the 19th Century, and partially burned.… Continue reading 46 Summer Street, the James Foster house (1720) 
48 Summer St., the Alonzo and Abbie Butler house, (1868) - in 1884 Abbie Butler and Alonzo Butler sold to Sarah Burnham the house next door at 46 Summer St. Ownership was transferred to Nathaniel Burnham in 1923.… Continue reading 48 Summer St., the Alonzo and Abbie Butler house, (1868) 
5 Summer Street, the Widow Fuller house (1725) - In 1754, Elizabeth Fuller sold this house and land to Thomas Treadwell, who also owned the house at 7 Summer Street. Stylistic evidence points to a construction date of c. 1725. Originally the house was one room deep, with a cased frame. An ell was added at the turn of the 19th century.… Continue reading 5 Summer Street, the Widow Fuller house (1725) 
7 Summer Street, the Thomas Treadwell house (C 1740) - The original house consisted of a large room with a chimney and entry at the right. Raised field wainscotting in this room is the most exceptional early second period feature. The house was altered in the mid-18th century, and the kitchen and small rear room are finished with trim from this period. In the mid-19th century new stairs and a new chimney were built. The sloop, "Endeavorer," under Capt. Thomas Treadwell, was included in the fishing fleet of 1716.… Continue reading 7 Summer Street, the Thomas Treadwell house (C 1740) 
8 Summer Street, the Daniel Glazier house (1840) - Manning Dodge sold a part of his lot fronting on Annable’s Lane (Summer Streeet) to Daniel Glazier on July 20, 1835. Glazier built his house here soon thereafter, about 1840. … Continue reading 8 Summer Street, the Daniel Glazier house (1840) 
Historic Ipswich 
Gordon, I have some incomplete and unverified information on 30-32 Summer Street. I am told by a former owner that it was moved to Summer Street around 1890 from High street, (possibly 27 High Street) I have also been told that 27 High Street was owned by John Conley of the local drug store prior to the move. The same neighbor also told me that when he was a boy (he was in his 90’s at the time) that the house was occupied by Civil War Veteran John Barton. If anyone has old pictures or information about either location I am interested.
Thanks Isaac, that provided me with sufficient information to start a post about what I’ll call the “Smith-Barton” house. Take a look at https://storiesfromipswich.org/the-smith-barton-house-30-summer-street/