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11 Kensington Avenue 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 Recorded by: Bonnie Parsons Organization: PVPC Date (month / year): January, 2010 Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number 31A-232-001 Easthampton NTH.2455 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Address: 11 Kensington Avenue Historic Name: Albert and Erin Beckmann House Uses: Present: single-family residence Original: single-family residence Date of Construction: 1928-1929 Source: Street Directories Style/Form: eclectic Architect/Builder: Exterior Material: Foundation: not visible Wall/Trim: clapboards Roof: asphalt shingles Outbuildings/Secondary Structures: Major Alterations (with dates): additions, ca. 1930-2000. Condition: good Moved: no | x | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.115 acres Setting: Surrounded by a wooden picket fence, this house faces east and is set back from the street. INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [11 KENSINGTON AVENUE] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation sheet 1 NTH.2455 _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. This is a two-story, east-facing house under a gable roof whose north side extends to first floor level to encompass a side entry. This is a feature of the Tudor Revival or English Cottage style that may have been the house’s earliest appearance. The east façade is two bays wide with one bay composed of a three part window of two 2/2/2 sash flanking a center window of 9/9 sash. The entry door is topped by a fanlight of recent date. Centered in the second story of this façade is a Palladian window composition with a fanlight over a center 6/6 sash that is flanked by 4/4 sash windows. The north elevation of this building is complex and asymmetrical with a one-story glassed in porch, followed by a two-story, front-gable wing that has a projecting second story porch. There is also a shed roof dormer on the north roof. It would appear that this house began life as an English style cottage and was added to over time until it has become unique architecturally. 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. Kensington Avenue was laid out in 1890 by a Northampton developer, Charles Crouch who over time built over 150 houses in Northampton as well as selling lots and building houses on contract for others. Kensington Avenue’s lots sold off relatively quickly as the City’s population grew and spread west along Elm Street, but there were two lots that remained open into the 1920s, one of which was this one. The Beckmann house was built between 1928-1929 by Albert and Erin Beckmann who had been married somewhat late in life in 1927. Erin was the supervisor of home economics in the Northampton schools and Albert was elected sheriff in 1920 and High County Sheriff in 1921. Albert was a second generation member of a German immigrant family and was active in Northampton first as a Main Street candy and ice cream shop owner, which he took over from his parents, Louise and Charles Beckmann, and then as Hampshire County Sheriff. His career as sheriff grew out of his experience first in the Spanish-American war, then as Major he trained troops for deployment in France during World War I. Recognized for his service, Albert was nominated by Governor Coolidge to take part in the creation of a war memorial to all those who had served in war from Massachusetts. Erin died in 1950 and Albert was still living at 11 Kensington Avenue through 1960 except for a period around 1940 when the house was occupied by a widow, Mrs H. F. Baucus and two daughters, both of whom were nurses. By 1950 the Beckmanns had returned to the house. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Hampshire Gazette,1917, Nov. 30; 1919, July 2; 1920, Nov.3; 1921, Jan.5; 1927, July 25. Beers, F. W. County Atlas of Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, 1873. Massachusetts Historical Commission. Reconnaissance Reports, “Northampton”, 1982. Miller, D. L. Atlas of the City of Northampton and Town of Easthampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, 1895. Northampton Directories 1910-1960. Sanborn Insurance Maps, Northampton, 1915. U. S. Federal censuses 1890-1930. Walker, George H. Atlas of Northampton City, Massachusetts, Boston, 1884. Massachusetts Historical Commission Community Property Address State Archives Facility 220 Morrissey Boulevard Northampton 11 Kensington Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02125 Area(s) Form No. NTH.2455 National Register of Historic Places Criteria Statement Form Check all that apply: Individually eligible Eligible only in an historic district Contributing to a potential historic district Potential historic district Criteria: A B C D Criteria Considerations: A B C D E F G Statement of Significance by ___Bonnie Parsons__________________________ The criteria that are checked in the above sections must be justified here. This property would contribute to a potential historic district that would encompass the residential/institutional side streets laid out from Elm Street in Northampton Center between Main Street on the east and the west boundary of Childs Park on the west. This potential historic district is significant according to criteria A and C and would have local significance. These residential streets are significant according to criterion A for their reflection of the development of Northampton from the mid-19th century as a relatively affluent community that supported several private schools for young women, which prepared them after 1875 for attendance at Smith College, and the Clarke School where deaf students were given an education that thoroughly prepared them for the hearing world. The residences in this area made a shift from gentlemen’s estates to accommodation of the growing middle class in Northampton during the 19th century with businessmen, scholars, teachers, doctors, and retired farmers. According to criterion C this district would be significant for the range of historical styles that it includes. Gothic Revival, Italianate, French Second Empire, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles are all well-represented within a landscape of individual large lots, and streetscapes that were laid out and developed at one time.