Seven Central St.

Directly across the street from the Town Common is 7 Central St. This center chimney Colonial was built in 1754 for Colonel/Major John Lee, one of Manchester’s many successful merchant seamen. It was initially described as a “warehouse,” but it did in fact have living quarters. In 1779, it was sold to local schoolmaster Delucena Bingham, who had recently married Deborah Tuck, daughter of William Tuck, another wealthy seaman and Revolutionary War hero. To impress his new bride, Bingham enhanced his house by adding the gambrel roof.  While living here, Mr. Bingham became a prominent citizen of town; he was its first postmaster, serving in that role for 34 years; town clerk for 29 years; representative to the General Court in 1824; and church deacon for 32 years. 

 

Like many buildings in Central Square, the Seven Central St. was eventually converted to apartments and commercial use, in recent times most notable for its restaurants.  It once had a very similar sister house to its left that was removed for the Rabardy Block in 1884.

 

For further reading:

- Huss, John. "7 Central Street," A Walking Tour of Historic Manchester-by-the-Sea, The West Walk. Manchester Historical Society, p.11.

- Lamson, Rev. D.F. History of the Town of Manchester, 1645–1895. Published by the Town, 1895, pp. 330–333.