The Capt. Richard Rogers House at 58 North Main Street in Ipswich is historically significant because of its fine Georgian style. Richard Rogers descended from Nathaniel Rogers who lived on the South Green. The house was built in 1728 about the time of the Rogers’ Manse across High Street. The central hallway with a closed string-course balustrade and the two chimneys suggest a high-style Georgian influence. The front room has exquisite Georgian paneling, while the rear fireplace wall has very fine shell cupboards in bolection molding with fluted pilasters. The home is one of the finest of its style and vintage in New England.
As described in Something to Preserve:
“The rear fireplace wall includes one of the finest shell cupboards in New England, enframed in bolection molding, with fluted pilasters on either side. The shelves are scrolled and molded and raised panels form the rear of the cupboard inside the shelves. In looking at the wall, the eye travels over a dazzling display of classic Georgian detail from the molded mop board to the stopped fluted pilasters on either side of the fireplace, to the double molded cornice work at ceiling level. In addition, the other walls have bold forty-inch wide raised field panels with cyma-curve step-down molding along the edge of the panels, all encompassed by bolection molded trim.”
Captain Richard Rogers House, 64 North Main St. Preservation Agreement
This house is protected by a preservation agreement. Protected elements include:
- The front and side facades facing N. Main and High Streets
- Central frame including primary and secondary members
- Wooden architectural elements including stairs, paneling, moldings, mantelpieces, doors, cupboard in the left front room facing N. Main St.
View MACRIS (note house has been renumbered to 58 N. Main, formerly #64.)
Covenanted woodwork in the Richard Rogers house
The present owners of the Richard Rogers house are Ingrid and Stephen Miles. Ingrid, a former member of the Select Board, was one of the four members of the Historic Preservation Subcommittee of the Master Plan along with Ruthanne Rogers, Sue Nelson, and Don Curiale who co-authored the Demolition Delay bylaw that is the foundation for today’s Demolition Review bylaw. Both Steve and Ingrid have been members of the Historical Society, Steve having been President and Ingrid having served as Membership Chair early in their move to Ipswich. Ingrid is a former member of the Ipswich Select Board, served as Chair of the Riverwalk project, and Stephen has served on the Open Space Subcommittee.
