36 Water Street, the York – Averill House (1715-1790)

Captain Samuel York owned this lot before 1718, after selling two smaller lots on East Street. The earliest portions of this house date from the early years of his ownership, about 1715. Benjamin Averill, a Revolutionary War veteran, bought the house in 1793, and it remained in the Averill family until the late 19th century.

This 2 story, L-plan house has a nearly symmetrical 5 bay facade and probably obtained its present Federal-era appearance during the early Averill ownership. The interior and exterior reflect a long progression of 18th and 19th-century alterations. The house retains several first-period interior features. The main room on the first floor contains a summer beam with a diminutive chamfer, exposed when later casing was removed. Exposed posts on the second floor have wider, simple chamfers. Other interior detailing includes feather-edged paneling, several two-paneled doors with pointed strap hinges, and a Federal mantel. View MACRIS

Further Reading:

• William and Abigail Averell
• The Averell-Averill-Avery family: a record of the descendants of William and Abigail Averell of Ipswich, Mass.
• MACRIS