On the Market: A 17th-Century Charmer in Haverhill

Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

86 Mill St., Haverhill
Price: $899,900
Size: 4,021 square feet
Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 3.5

Just below the staggered eight and six of this home’s address, to the right of the front door, there’s a small, black plaque. In gold print, it reads: “Built for William White, ‘Founder of Haverhill’ c. 1680, Author of the Haverhill Treaty of 1642.” White, an original settler of the northeastern city, lived in the Colonial some three and a half centuries ago—and the dwelling stayed in the family for the next 245 years. Even in the following 95 years, says listing agent Susan Rochwarg, it saw just a few changes in ownership. All this to say: This Haverhill home has been charming its owners for quite some time.

But it’s hard to distill so much history into a tiny rectangular plaque. You’ll glean a much better sense from walking through its ten rooms, and noting the updates and expansions that each phase of ownership has brought in. Extra wide planks of pumpkin pine furnish the original front rooms, while a mix of oak and maple adorn the rest of the home, added in the mid-to-late 1700s. The kitchen has been renovated—stainless appliances and polished granite counters were a bit after White’s time—and natural wood support beams have been exposed to blend the modern with an antique farmhouse feel. Over in the living room, an original fireplace still boasts keystone moldings and hardware once used to hang pots. But the brick hearth has been painted black to sink into the wall behind it, painted in a clean Benjamin Moore hue dubbed “Chantilly Lace.”

Outside, the one and half acres integrate 17th-century history with modern-day amendments, too. Formerly operated as a farm, the land was once home to horses used for riding and pulling carriages. The mares may be gone, but the “hound house,” where the dogs who helped manage the horses once lived, still sits near the old stone wall on one edge of the yard. According to Rochwarg, there’s even a horseshoe said to be from the 1700s planted somewhere in the garden. Several century-old magnolia trees, dogwoods, and lilac bushes still grow on the grounds, too, as does an English Beech tree that dates back to 1925. As for the 21st-century addition? Just a few years ago, the owners planted a baker’s dozen of fruit trees on the land, transforming part of the property into a personal orchard.

For information, contact Susan Sells Real Estate Team, Keller Williams Realty, susansells.com.

Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

The hound house. Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

Photo courtesy of Rob Moreno Photography

Photo provided

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