College Lane (2)
Follow Massachusetts Historical Commission Survey Manual instructions for completing this form.
FORM B − BUILDING
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Photograph
Topographic or Assessor's Map
Please see attached continuation sheet.
Recorded by: Bonnie Parsons
Organization: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Date (month / year): March, 2010
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
31D-10 Easthampton
NTH.732
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village) Smith College Campus
Address: College Lane
Historic Name: Smith College Crew House
Uses: Present: crew house
Original: crew house
Date of Construction: 1920
Source: Smith College archives
Style/Form: Craftsman/Colonial Revival
Architect/Builder: Karl Scott Putnam, Architect,
Northampton Exterior Material:
Foundation: patterned concrete
Wall/Trim: shingles
Roof: asphalt shingles
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
Condition: good-fair
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date
Acreage: 0.614 acres
Setting: The crew house is located on the western shore of
Paradise Pond. It is set below the road at the foot of an
embankment.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [College Lane]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.732
__x_ 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 Smith College crew house is a two-story shingle-sided, Craftsman/Colonial Revival style building under a gable-on-hip roof.
It has a shed roof shallow wing on the east elevation that contains the main pedestrian entry to the building, an arched opening
with an architrave surround. A Colonial Revival style wooden lattice trellis precedes the entry. On north and south elevations
fenestration is made up of three bays of casement windows. The outer two bays on the second floor are made up of pairs of 12-
light casements under three-light transoms. The center bay is made up of four, 12-light casements under transoms. The first
floor bays have single casement windows on the outer bays and four casements in the center bay, but none has the transom
lights. The pond-side elevation, the west elevation, has at first floor level four arched boat openings. The upper half of the
openings is filled with double leaf, two-part folding windows. The lower half is filled with paneled doors that slide upwards on
tracks for the crew shells to float under and into the building. The Colonial Revival style surrounds are architrave and have
keystones at their crests. At second floor level are four bays of four casement windows of 12-light sash under transom lights.
The wood shingle siding is Craftsman in nature but the boxed eaves of the building do not have intentionally exposed rafters or
purlins so the Craftsman feature found at the adjacent boat house was not repeated by the architect here.
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 1979, “Designed by Northampton architect Karl S. Putnam and opened November 13, 1920, the two story
Shingle style Crew House is quite similar in design to the adjacent Boat House.”
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.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [College Lane]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 2
NTH.732
Crew House north elevation.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [College Lane]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 3
NTH.732