Main Street 199-201.pdf
Follow Massachusetts Historical Commission Survey Manual instructions for completing this form. FORM B − BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Photograph Topographic or Assessor's Map Recorded by: Bonnie Parsons Organization: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Date (month /year):
March, 2010 Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number 31D-137 & 138 Easthampton NTH.776 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Address: 193-195-199-201 Main Street
Historic Name: O’Brien Block Uses: Present: commercial, residential Original: commercial, residential Date of Construction: 1868 Source: Daily Hampshire Gazette, Nov. 5, 1867 Style/Form:
Italianate Architect/Builder: Exterior Material: Foundation: granite Wall/Trim: brick, cast iron Roof: not visible Outbuildings/Secondary Structures: Major Alterations (with dates):
Storefronts altered Condition: good Moved: no | x | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.075 acres Setting: This is a south-facing building at the corner of a small street that leads to the inside
of the block.
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [199-201MAIN STREET] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.776 ___ Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. If checked, you must attach a completed National Register Criteria Statement form. Use as much
space as necessary to complete the following entries, allowing text to flow onto additional continuation sheets. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION: Describe architectural features. Evaluate
the characteristics of this building in terms of other buildings within the community. Although it occupies two lots, the O’Brien Block is a single building painted to appear as if it
were two buildings. It is a brick building three stories in height under a flat roof. It is nine bays wide, so one of the longest buildings in downtown Northampton. It has three storefronts
on the first story level with an off-center recessed entry to the upper stories framed with an architrave surround. The storefronts are framed by a cast iron façade of piers and spanning
lintel though at the easternmost storefront the alterations have either covered or removed the cast iron as it is no longer visible. Second story windows have straight-head lintels that
are footed and the third story windows are slightly pedimented. The brick cornice that runs across the building above the third story is a row of stacked pendants above a filet of geometric
pendants. It uses motifs that were to become common, but is not the most repeated compositions. On its west elevation facing the small connector street the building has a mural painted
on it dated 1989. Its subject is children playing and is signed “Kohman”. HISTORICAL NARRATIVE Discuss the history of the building. Explain its associations with local (or state) history.
Include uses of the building, and the role(s) the owners/occupants played within the community. From Form B of 1975: “The O’Brien (Carr) Block was one of the first brick blocks to rise
on the north side of Main Street in response to rapid commercial development in the late 1860’s.” BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Beers, F. W. County Atlas of Hampshire Massachusetts,
New York, 1873. Hales, John G. Plan of the Town or Northampton in the County of Hampshire, 1831. Miller, D. L. Atlas of the City of Northampton and Town of Easthampton, Hampshire County,
Massachusetts, Philadelphia, 1895. Walker, George H. and Company. Atlas of Northampton City, Massachusetts, Boston, 1884. Walling, Henry F. Map of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, New
York, 1860.