Main Street 243-249.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-130 Easthampton NTH.772 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Northampton Center Address: 243-249 Main Street
Historic Name: Ansel Wright Block Uses: Present: commercial, residential Original: commercial, residential Date of Construction: 1871 Source: Daily Hampshire Gazette, Apr. 11, 1871 Style/Form:
Italianate Architect/Builder: William Fenno Pratt Exterior Material: Foundation: granite Wall/Trim: brick/brownstone Roof: not visible Outbuildings/Secondary Structures: Major Alterations
(with dates): Storefronts altered multiple times. Replacement sash and altered two bays of second story into bay window. N.d. Condition: good Moved: no | x | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.071
acres Setting: This building occupies a corner lot, faces south towards a city park.
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [243-249MAIN STREET] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.772 ___ 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. The Ansel Wright Block is a corner building with two principal elevations, the south and west.
The red brick building is four stories in height under a flat roof that has a stepped parapet wall on the west and an elaborate cornice on the south. The cornice brick is decoratively
corbelled into panels and sawtooth designs of some elegance. The first story of the south façade is divided into two storefronts. There is a recessed entry to the upper stories interrupting
the two storefronts of the more easterly store. The west elevation is five bays long and the first through third stories of the west and the second and third stories of the south have
windows with Italianate pedimented lintels of brownstone and brownstone sills. The sills on floors two through four are footed. Windows on the fourth story have round-pedimented lintels
of Italian inspiration. Window sash is 1/1 wood replacement. 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 Wright Block was an almost total reconstruction of the old Masonic Hall,
erected by Isaac Damon in 1825 on this site. When the new block was opened in 1871, the Masons once again occupied the upper stories. The block was designed by William F. Pratt, and
represents one of his better and later commercial blocks.” 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.