53 Center Street
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FORM B − BUILDING
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY 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
31B-268 Easthampton NTH.714
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village)
Address: 53 Center Street
Historic Name: S. G. Dickinson House
Uses: Present: offices
Original: residence
Date of Construction: ca. 1868
Source: Registry of Deeds
Style/Form: Italianate
Architect/Builder:
Exterior Material:
Foundation: brick
Wall/Trim: aluminum
Roof: built up roofing
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
Condition: good
Moved: no | | yes | | Date
Acreage: 0.103 acres
Setting: This is a south-facing building on a mixed
commercial and formerly residential street.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [53 Center Street]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.714
___ 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.
This is one of Northampton’s most fanciful Italianate style buildings and with its neighbor at 79 Masonic Street represents the
“palazzo” version of the style. It is a two-story building under a flat roof with widely projecting eaves that here are supported on
consoles between which are metal attic grilles. As opposed to the Italianate “villa” the palazzo does not have a tower, rather, is
square and often has corner quoins. The house is L-shaped in plan with a three-bay wide main block and a short one-bay wide
wing on the east. The wing has a three-sided bay with arched windows on its east elevation. A hipped roof porch on chamfered
posts with high bases wraps from east, across the south and the west elevations of the main block of the house. It has an
openwork frieze, arched railings and bracketed eaves. Windows of the house have projecting cornice lintels at the second floor
that are supported on small consoles and at the first floor there are architrave surrounds. Sash is 2/2.
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 the Form B of 1975: “This bracketed house was built between 1867 and 1871 for S. G. Dickinson, a local merchant.
Dickinson built a block of stores, still standing, on upper Main Street in 1869. Wm. F. Pratt was the architect of the commercial
block and may have been responsible for this house in Center Street as well. The Methodist Church acquired the property in
18971 and used the house as the church parsonage for a number of years. (The Methodist Church was located on the lot to the
south, where the Elks Hall currently stands.) Presently used as an office building, the house has been well maintained.”
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.
Hampshire County Registry of Deeds: Book 1692 page 195; Book 1445, Page 66; Book 1178, Pate 47; Book 1087, Pate 327;
Book 998, Page 231; Book 973 page 96; Book 819, Page 90; Book 379 page 429; Book 323 Page 121; Book 284 Page 121;
Book 2433, page 307 (plan), Book 243, page 307.