Swampscott Fish House

The Swampscott Fish House, built in 1896, is located off Humphrey Road, on the southern shore of Swampscott, Massachusetts. Swampscott's 1andmass is triangular, bounded by the towns of Salem and Marblehead to the north, the city of Lynn to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south and east. Although the town has an area of only 3.07 square miles, its coastline is 4.3 miles long. The southern shore of Swampscott is characterized by several smal1 bays opening into Nahant Bay. The Fish House sits at a 90-degree angle to Humphrey Road, between the road and Blaney Beach, known locally as Fishermen's Beach, or Fishies. The beach is framed by Blaney Rock to the west and Lincoln House Point to the east. The surrounding area has mixed commercial and residential uses.

To the east of the Fish House is a well-established residential neighborhood of nineteenth and early-twentieth century houses. Immediately to the north of the building is Humphrey Street; a new 28-unit condominium development is located directly across the street. Along Humphrey Road are a number of retail stores and small service offices. To the west of the Fish House is Blaney Beach Park, a municipally owned park that is partially paved forparking. In addition to parking, this area is used for the storage of boats and equipment by local fisherman, particularly during the winter months. To the south of the Fish House is a fishing pier, constructed during the 1960s. Alongside the pier is a boat launching ramp.

The Fish House sits on a parcel of land that is approximately 130x165 feet in area. A substantial portion of the lot has been paved for parking.

(in one paragraph) Builder/Architect Henry W. Rogers The Swampscott Fish House in Swampscott, Massachusetts, possesses integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. Swampscott's fishing industry has been an important part of its economy from the seventeenth century, and remains active today. Built in 1896, the Fish House is the only known municipally-built fish house in the state, and has remained in continuous use as a commercial fish house for its ninety-year history. The Fish House is a large, handsome building with design influences from the Colonial Revival and Shingle styles, reflecting prevailing architectural styles of the resort summer homes built in the same period.

As the only known municipally-built fish house in Massachusetts, for its associations with the fishing industry in Swampscott, and for its reflection of high-style summer cottage architecture, the Swampscott Fish House meets criteria A and C for listing on the National Register of Historic Places on the state and local levels. Swampscott was first settled by Europeans in 1629, when five men moved south from Salem to Lynn, then comprising the present towns of Lynn, Lynnfield, Nahant, Saugus, and Swampscott. Swampscott possessed a distinct identity as a fishing village from its earliest days, although it legally remained a part of Lynn for over 200 years. town by act of the Massachusetts Legislature.

At that time, the town had a r set or the Massachusets teotsTaztune In 1852, Swampscott was separately incorporated as a population of approximately 1,000 residents, most of whom were engaged in the fishing industry. Fishing was an important economic activity in Swampscott from the seventeenth century. Early fishermen went out in small dories, staying fairly close to 1and. After 1795, the use of schooners, locally known as jiggers, became prevalent, and the fleet pursued fish further out to sea.