Home of the Week: Antique Newburyport Colonial comes with a bonus

This 1879 home is filled with fireplaces and has an apartment to rent in the basement.

A red brick walkway to a set of six stairs leads to a covered porch that stretches around to the left side of the home. ROB MORENO

By John R. Ellement, The Boston Globe

updated on March 28, 2025

4 minutes to read

76 High St., Newburyport

$2.194 million

Style Colonial

Year built 1879; updated since

Square feet 4,201

Bedrooms 6

Baths 4 full, 1 half

Sewer/Water Public

Taxes $14,994 (2024)

It’s plus one, real estate style.

There’s a one-bed/one-bath apartment with a private entrance in the basement of this recently updated Colonial in Newburyport, one of the North Shore’s prettiest coastal cities.

It’s located on High Street (Route 1A) and shares the neighborhood with other larger homes strung along a wide sidewalk of red brick shaded by a smattering of broadleaf trees such as maples, chestnuts, and oaks. Nearby is Newburyport’s bustling downtown filled with restaurants and shops, plus the beach is close for the warm days ahead.

This home has its own wide red brick walkway. It leads to an equally wide set of six stairs that ends at a covered porch that stretches around to the left side of the home.

The double-wide front door opens into a 25-foot-long hallway with the living spaces on the first floor of this 4,201-square-foot home. At the end of the hallway is a set of stairs to the second floor.

Given its age — it was built in 1879 — this house has separate rooms, not an open floor plan. But as an ode to its history, many rooms have pocket doors and fireplaces. The home has central air conditioning and forced hot air gas heating.

The dining room has a fireplace, one of five in the home. – ROB MORENO

To the right off the main hallway is the 180-square-foot dining room with large windows on two exterior walls and a hardwood floor. The interior wall is lined with built-in shelving that is formed around a white fireplace, one of five in the home. A circular light fixture is positioned above the eight-person table.

Across the hall is the 287-square-foot living room with three large windows on its exterior walls. There is also its version of built-in shelving and fireplace. In this iteration, the mantle is wood painted white and the firebox is framed by brick.

Built-in shelving surrounds the living room fireplace. – ROB MORENO

Returning to the hallway and heading deeper into the home, the 347-square-foot kitchen emerges on the left. The room is large enough to host a small circular table for four that is positioned near the third fireplace with a wooden mantle.

The kitchen has an island with seating for three. – ROB MORENO

An antique fireplace warms the kitchen. – ROB MORENO

The working area of the kitchen is on the left side defined by a large island with white cabinetry and a rainforest green granite top with seating for three. It’s something like an alcove, lined on all sides by cabinets (some with clear glass doors), the sink, stainless steel appliances (including gas stove), and a white subway tile backsplash.

The rear exterior wall has two large double-hung windows and a windowed door leading to the 219-square-foot rear deck.

The seating area in the backyard of the home. – ROB MORENO

A short hallway leads to an 18-square-foot half bath with a porcelain pedestal sink, hardwood flooring, and Nantucket Beadboard. Through another doorway is the 218-square-foot family room, which features its own fireplace, crown molding, and hardwood flooring. There are two windows on the exterior walls.

The primary suite occupies roughly half of the entire second floor. The 316-square-foot bedroom has its own fireplace, wide-planked hardwood flooring, four double-hung windows, and a coffered ceiling.

The primary bedroom has a coffered ceiling and a sitting area. – ROB MORENO

For a closet, there’s a 158-square-foot dressing room with an island and a three-windowed bump-out and built-in shelving. There is also a walk-in closet. The 75-square-foot private bath has a single vanity with a rainforest brown top, a bathtub underneath a window, and a shower stall with a clear glass door and subway tile backsplash. The flooring is porcelain tile.

The primary bath has a separate tub and shower. – ROB MORENO

Nestled under the stairwell to the third floor is an 18-foot hallway hosting the full-size laundry area. There’s an added attraction: A door opens to a 49-square-foot balcony with views of the backyard.

This level has two bedrooms (204 and 244 square feet) that share a 32-square-foot full bath.

The third floor has the final two bedrooms, which are 176 and 187 square feet. There also is a 212-square-foot room without a closet that could be used as a bedroom. This floor has a shower-only bath with a single vanity topped by granite, Nantucket Beadboard on the ceiling and walls, and porcelain tile flooring.

The apartment’s bedroom in the home’s basement. – ROB MORENO

The 536-square-foot apartment is in the basement and has a private entrance It includes sitting, living, and bedroom areas, and an 84-square-foot bathroom. The bath has porcelain tile flooring, a mahogany-toned vanity, and a shower with clear glass walls and porcelain tile flooring and backsplash.

The apartment in the basement includes sitting, living, and bedroom areas, and a bathroom. – ROB MORENO

Also in the basement is a home gym and a storage area.

The listing agent, Andrea M. O’Reilly of Keller Williams Realty Evolution, said the current owners have rented the apartment through Airbnb, earning $22,000 over one year.

John R. Ellement can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @JREbosglobe. Send listings to [email protected]. Please note: We do not feature unfurnished homes unless they are new-builds or gut renovations and will not respond to submissions we won’t pursue. Follow us on X @globehomes.