This article lists the oldest buildings in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States of America, including the oldest houses in Massachusetts and any other surviving structures. Some dates are approximate (indicated with a "") and based on architectural studies and historical records, while other dates are based on dendrochronology. All entries should include citation with reference to: 17th century architectural features; a report by an architectural historian; or dendrochronology. Sites on the list are generally from the First Period of American architecture. Only First Period houses built prior to 1728 are suitable for inclusion on this list or the building must be the oldest of its type.

The Fairbanks House (built 1641) is the oldest house verified using dendrochronology, followed by the James Blake House (built in 1661), but most First Period structures in Massachusetts have not yet been tested with dendrochronology surveys.

Verified through survey The following structures have been verified using dendrochronology or some other type of architectural survey.

Building Image Location First built Short summary Fairbanks House Dedham 1641 The Fairbanks House is the oldest verified wood-frame house in North America after timbers were dated from 1637–1641 using dendrochronology. This home is largely preserved in its original state with the central complex being the oldest. Later additions (including wings, and lean-tos on the original structure) were added after 1800 as the family's descendants grew in numbers. Sturgis Library Barnstable 1644 The Sturgis library was originally built as a parsonage in 1644 for John Lothrop. It was turned into a library in 1867. An architectural survey confirmed a pre-1660 build date. Dendrochronology done in 2014 failed to test the earliest beams. James Blake House Dorchester 1661 The James Blake House is the oldest verified house in Boston as determined by a dendrochronology study conducted in 2007. This structure is noteworthy as it contains West England country framing which is rarely seen in the United States. In 1895, the James Blake House was moved to its present location as the city needed to make room for avenue widening. The house retains the same "probable appearance" exterior as built minus two gables that were present at the front end. Churchill House Plymouth 1662 The Churchill House is located at 250 Sandwich Street. Beams from the oldest portion of the house were felled in the 1650s and 1661 or 1662, likely making it the oldest house in Plymouth verified with dendrochronology according to Professor J. Ritchie Garrison.Rich Harbert, "Dendrochronology - the science of tree-ring dating - take on Plymouth's oldest homes Modern day science addresses age old question" May 19, 2022 https://www.wickedlocal.com/story/old-colony-memorial/2022/05/19/tree-ring-dating-plymouths-oldest-houses/9751243002/ Before the dendrochronology study, Churchill House was surveyed in the 1960s and 1970s and believed to have been the home of John's son, Joseph Churchill, and to have been built between 1672 and 1695.RICHARD M. CANDEE, "A Documentary History of Plymouth Colony Architecture, 1620-1700", Old-Time New England, Volume LX, No. 2 October–December 1969, Serial No. 218, pg. 48, 52Abbott Lowell Cummings, "Massachusetts and Its First Period Houses: A Statistical Survey," Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Volume 51 (1979), p.119 https://www.colonialsociety.org/node/1966 (accessed 2/17/23) Ambrose Gale House Marblehead 1663 Pickering House Salem 1664 The Pickering House is located at 18 Broad Street in the Chestnut Street District, and has been owned by the same family since it was built. Results from a dendrochronology study conducted in 2007 show that the oldest parts of the house date to the winter of 1663–1664. The extended parlour portion of the house was completed roughly 19 years later. Most of the home's exterior was reworked in 1841 with Gothic Revival style features. The interior of the house has since been restored to its colonial appearance. Gedney House Salem 1665 Shipwright Eleazer Gedney acquired the land for a house on April 20, 1664, and a construction date of 1665 was confirmed by dendrochronology in 2002. While the oldest timbers date to 1664–1665, the house has since been modified to its present form. The south end lean-to (later replaced by 1800) was raised to accompany two stories in 1706, and the end wall facing the street was given a framed overhang. A complete gutting of the interior for conversion into apartments occurred before SPNEA acquired the property in 1967. House of the Seven Gables Salem 1668 The House of the Seven Gables is a National Historic Landmark. Dendrochronology studies done in 2005 dated the oldest portions of the house to 1668. Later additions to the house include a lean-to and kitchen ell at the back of the house by 1693. Georgian woodwork altered the parlor wing of the original house in 1723. The back part of the original structure was removed in 1794, and in the nineteenth century the decorative gables met the same fate as they were too old fashioned. These were restored along with the original 17th century appearance sometime in the early 20th century. Merchant–Choate House Ipswich 1671 This seventeenth century home is also known as the "Tuttle House". Dendrochronological dating shows the earliest portions of the house were completed sometime in 1671 with later additions. The house was extended to the north a year later, and repairs were done to this extension after 1761. Physical evidence shows that two single cell one-and-one-half-story cottages were put together around a central chimney possibly as late as 1705. These structures were later raised to two stories, a lean-to and rear lateral extensions were likely added on during the 18th century. As of 2025, it remains a private residence. Deane Winthrop House Winthrop 1675 Dendrochronology confirms that Deane Winthrop built the earliest portion of his house in 1675. This original portion consists of a "single cell" structure which is two and one half stories in height. An addition to the east side was later added by Winthrop in 1695 which widened the chimney bay. The only other known modification is a lean-to spanning the four easternmost bays which was added sometime in the 18th century. There is suspicion that the foundation of the house also dates to this period based on the construction used. This would mean that the house was possibly moved to its present location. John Capen House Milton 1675 This house was originally built in Dorchester by John Capen in 1675. As built, the structure consisted of an end chimney bay and a range of two side by side rooms. An additional room and chamber was added to the right of the chimney in the mid eighteenth century. Later additions were also added to the rear of the house along with a lean-to. The house remained in the Capen family until 1909 when it was scheduled to be demolished. It was saved by Kenneth G. T. Webster, who purchased the house and moved it to Milton where it stood until 2006 when it was disassembled and unsuccessfully offered for sale when a new house was built on its site. Narbonne House Salem 1675 The Narbonne House is located on the waterfront at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and owned by the National Park Service. Dendrochronology conducted in 2002 dated the oldest part of the house which faces west to 1675. A separate story-and-one-half building with gambrel roof was attached to the original portion of the house sometime between 1725 and 1750. Whipple House Ipswich 1677 The Whipple House is a National Historic Landmark which was dated using dendrochronology in 2002. The oldest parts of the house were shown to date to 1677 for a house that was two-and-one-half stories in height, featuring a facade gabble. Additions to the house have since been made which occurred in 1690, and later in 1790. The latter of these dates was a substantial addition at 24 feet in length east of the chimney that included a second facade gable. In 1928 the house was moved to its present location where it now serves as a museum. Coffin House Newbury 1678 This house features one of the oldest extant examples of the principal rafter/common purlin roof. The "Coffin" house (named after the original land owner) was dated using dendrochronology to 1678, with the oldest portion of the house being the south west ell. Later additions include a cross-wing on the north east side which was added in 1713. The house became two official dwellings in 1785, when the Coffin brothers legally divided the structure.Benjamin Nye HouseSandwich1678The earliest portion of the 2.5-story timber-frame house was built in 1678 by Benjamin Nye, and has remained in the hands of his descendants for most of the time since then. It was apparently originally built as a saltbox style house with an integral lean-to section, with the rear of the house being raise to a full two stories, probably in the 19th century. Oldest building on Cape Cod confirmed via dendrochronology. Balch House Beverly 1680 The oldest portion of the Balch house was found to date to 1680 via dendrochronology study. This home was originally a single room cottage one-and-one-half stories in height, with a now removed chimney bay. Later descendants of the Balch family constructed the single room two-story southern part of the house in 1721. The original portion of the house was raised to two stories, and attached to this newer portion which created a central chimney. Modern restoration work was undertaken in 1921–1922, and again in 1961–1962. Hart House Ipswich 1680 Dendrochronology shows that the earliest portion of the "Hart" house dates to 1680. The house as built was originally a two-and-one half story single room plan house, with a chimney bay on the east end. An addition was later added onto the opposite side of the chimney . Restorations to the house to make it more original took place in 1902 when it was used as a guest house. The Hart House now serves as a tavern, minus a portion of the original structure that was purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the 1930s as an exhibit. Cooper–Frost–Austin House Cambridge 1681 The Cooper–Frost–Austin House was originally built as a single room structure with a chimney bay, and integral lean-to. This two-and-one half story structure was later expanded with the addition of west rooms and lean-to behind them sometime after 1718. It was around this time period that a one-story porch was also added. SPNEA acquired the house in 1912, and it was restored by architect Joseph Everett Chandler. Pierce House (Dorchester, Massachusetts) Dorchester 1683 Dendrochronology has dated the oldest portion of the Pierce House to 1683. This section is now located in the middle of the house as additions were added to the two-and-one half story single room plan structure. The house was extended to the west shortly after 1712 and a lean-to was added over time on the entire back side. Further additions were added to the east end of the home in 1765. The kitchen in the west portion of the lean-to was rebuilt and extended slightly to the north in the nineteenth century. 20 White Place Brookline 1683 The oldest parts of 20 White Place date to 1683, according to a dendrochronology study done in 2007. This home was originally built as a single room structure, and was moved in 1854 to its present location. Its estimated that during this time the exterior was given its "Italianate" appearance. Several one-story additions have since been added to the rear of the building. Interior changes include space rearrangement on both stories. 20 White Place is now a private residence protected through Historic New England's stewardship easement program. 1688 Joseph Willis House Taunton MA