A Haverhill home full of beautifully maintained murals from the 1830s
Over the years, this Colonial has hosted a countess, a famous artist and publisher, and a New Balance designer.
In the centuries it has stood sentry near the Merrimack River, this home in Haverhill’s Rocks Village Historic District has had a countess, a famous artist and publisher, and a New Balance designer walk its planked hardwood floors.
The Colonial, whose rear section was built in 1786, welcomed home Count François de Vipart of France and his American bride, Mary Ingalls-Colby, in 1805. Later on, one of the owners, it’s unclear who, hired Rufus Porter — artist, inventor, and founder of Scientific American magazine — to adorn the walls with hand-painted murals of rural America. These masterworks from the 1830s survive today, with thanks to New Balance designer Kirsten Marchand and her husband, David, who have steered the final renovations to the home, preserving the past and seemlessly introducing the present.
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The sunny kitchen, located in the older part of the house, captures how well the past and present coexist: One of its hand-plastered walls holds the original brick fireplace, but the opposite wall features a stainless-steel stove with digital controls. In between are custom cabinetry, pine floors, and a long counter of tiger maple. The sink, set under a bank of three windows, looks out to the landscaped backyard and offers seasonal river views. The closet pantry features custom cabinetry, too, as does the family room, which has a fireplace and is serving as an office.
The newer part of the house, the front, is much more formal, with ceilings at least 9-feet high, crown molding, pocket shutters, and 12-over-12 windows with period glass. The dining room contains the home’s third fireplace.
Here in the front of the house, Porter’s murals of rural America line the stairwell leading to the second floor, where the master bedroom features its own mural by the artist and easily accommodates a king-size bed. The second bedroom on this floor has a built-in dresser and offers access to a full bath with a double vanity, perfect for the current residents — twins.
This floor also features a nursery, a full bath with a whirlpool tub, and the fourth bedroom, which has a Porter mural.
The basement is unfinished fieldstone and brick, and the detached two-car garage now houses an office/studio that has heat and air conditioning. The 0.25-acre grounds include a garden, patios, and a backyard, that is broad and flat.
Listing broker Tom Mahoney of RE/Max on the River in Newburyport will hold an open house on Sunday, July 12, from 2 to 4 p.m.
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