321 Locust 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
23A-90 Easthampton NTH.187
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village) Florence
Address: 321 Locust Street
Historic Name: Howard Hosford-G. Thompson House
Uses: Present: Single-family residence
Original: Single-family residence
Date of Construction: 1902
Source: Springfield Daily Republican
Style/Form: Colonial Revival
Architect/Builder: Charles H. Markle, Builder
Exterior Material:
Foundation: brick
Wall/Trim: clapboards
Roof: slate
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
Condition: good
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date
Acreage: 0.275 acres
Setting: This house occupies a corner lot
overlooking a small park near Florence center.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [321 LOCUST STREET]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.186
___ Recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
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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 Hosford-Thompson House is a good example of the Colonial Revival style, although it is somewhat idiosyncratic in its
asymmetry. It is a two-and-a-half story house under a slate-covered, truncated hipped roof, on which is centered a shed roof
dormer. The roof eaves are broad. The house is three bays wide and the equivalent of three bays deep. It has a through-
cornice exterior wall chimney on its east elevation where there is also a one-story screened porch on columns. The south
façade has a center entry reached by a column-supported portico that is slightly off-center. The flat-roofed portico has a
shallow arched roof on it and paired columns with respondent, engaged columns at the wall plane. The entry is trabeated and
has leaded glass sidelights. At the second story level above the portico is an off-center, angled oriel window. It is flanked by
two windows with 6/1 sash. At the first story the flanking windows are a single window with 6/1 sash and a large, fixed, multi-
light window. The house is framed with narrow pilasters. This is the Colonial Revival style as it was influenced by other
contemporary trends including the Prairie Style.
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 1980: “This house is listed in Northampton’s business report for 1902 as having been built for real-estate agents
Edward Barrett and James O’Brien for $3000. Later that same year, they sold the house to George Thompson, a motor man for
the Northampton Street Railway Co.
The area north of Main and Locust Streets, and east of Chestnut Street in Florence was developed in the early 20th
century. For years, the land had been owned by D.G. Littlefield, one of Florence’s prominent industrialists, but there was very
little pressure for development until after 1900. By that time, most of the village south of Main Street had been developed.”
Further research indicates that this house was built for Howard Hosford, who was General Manager of Norwood Engineering,
which was on North Maple Street.
BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES
Beers, F. W. County Atlas of Hampshire Massachusetts, New York, 1873.
Drake, David. Northampton Historical Commission, interior signatures found in building for Hosford and Markle.
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.
Registry of Deeds: Bk. 759-P.413, 667-401, 625-401, 625-217, 623-289, 622-447, 614-197, 565-102