78 Curzon Mill Road

Elizabeth Curzon Hoxie House

Built 1830–1860

Built: 1859 (documented)
Style: Greek Revival Greek Revival
Neighborhood: Marquand Estate
MACRIS: NWB.516 ↗

History

This two-story house with a pitched roof dates from the mid-nineteenth century and features elements of several popular styles of the period. The house has fine granite window lintels and sills. These rectangular stone elements were typical of the popular Greek Revival style.

The house has a brick dentil cornice, a feature that occurs in several brick houses built during the mid-nineteenth century. The front doorway is enclosed by an unusual entrance porch. It is ornamented by Doric pilasters. The porch also has a wide cornice fascia and a simple dentil cornice.

This house was built by Elizabeth Curzon Hoxie in 1859. Elizabeth Hoxie was a great-aunt of the novelist John P. Marquand. The Cursor family owned much of the property on the banks of the Artichoke River.

Elizabeth Hoxie had earlier been a resident of the Brook Farm experiment. The fact that the North wall of the dwelling is void of all windows except for one in the attic. It has been said that the builder's future plans included an addition to the house for another communal colony.

Planning work on this building?

Reviews that may apply

Outside the historic district and the two overlays · Parcel 105-5 · Zone A/C

Newburyport Historical Commission decides whether to impose a delay
Built 1859, so 75 or more years old: removing more than 25% of its exterior walls, changing the roofline (pitch, towers, cupolas, anything projecting above the roof), moving it, or adding a dormer that misses the setback and pitch rules is "demolition" under the demolition delay ordinance. The Commission holds a hearing within 30 days and may impose a delay of up to 18 months. Parts of the building documented as younger than 75 years are excluded on a written determination by the Zoning Administrator.
Code of Ordinances ch. 5 art. X, §§5-307–5-308 (June 2026) ↗
Zoning Administrator first stop
Every project starts with a zoning determination from the Zoning Administrator, which says which of these reviews apply and whether the work also needs zoning relief (a special permit for a non-conformity, or a variance). Fees, forms and filing deadlines are on the City’s site.
City flowchart, June 2026 ↗

Not legal advice, not an official City publication, and not the position of the Historical Commission or any board. Says what the ordinances say as of September 30, 2026; the Zoning Administrator decides what applies. Boundaries: Merrimack Valley Planning Commission / City of Newburyport GIS (MIMAP); 1984 status from the National Register nomination's district data sheets. City's quick guide to the DCOD and demolition delay ↗ · Do I need approval? Project by project →