10-00 IVIcIIII JIICCI
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: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Date (month / year): March, 2010
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
32C-018 Easthampton NTH. 2414
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village) Northampton Center
Address: 76-88 Main Street
Historic Name: Lambie Block
Uses: Present: Commercial
Original: Commercial
Date of Construction: 1895
Source: Registry of Deeds 126.141 & Gazette, March 5,
1921 Style/Form: Romanesque Revival
Architect/Builder:
Exterior Material:
Foundation: granite
Wall/Trim: brick/metal cornice
Roof: not visible
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
Storefronts have changed over time.
Condition: good
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date
Acreage: 0.094 acres
Setting: This large block faces north in central downtown
Northampton.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [76-88 Main Street]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.2414
___ 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 Lambie Block is a five-story, yellow brick building, that is ten and eleven bays wide, making it one of the larger buildings in
downtown Northampton. The first story is composed of four bays divided by paneled metal pilasters supporting a metal lintel.
The two westernmost bays make up a single commercial space with glass storefronts. The third bay is a wide glass entry to the
upper stories and the fourth and most eastern bay is a small storefront with a recessed entry adjacent to a glass store window.
The second through fourth stories are identical. They are divided into three bays with five windows of 1/1 sash in the center bay
flanked by two outer bays with three windows of 1/1 sash. Windows have splayed lintels made up of slightly darker shades of
yellow and tan brick for a subtle polychromy. A narrow stringcourse separates the fourth and fifth stories and the window pattern
of the fifth story is completely different being a row of ten contiguous arched windows with shared springings. The arches of the
window lintels are all a darker tan brick. That same dark tan brick was used to lay a brick frieze beneath a widely overhang ing
metal cornice. This building with its contrasting brick contributes to the variety that makes downtown Northampton
architecturally rich.
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 Victorian brick block on the corner of Main and Pleasant Streets is the only remaining block of
several built on Shop Row, Main Street, by merchant Harvey Kirkland. This block was originally occupied by the Holyoke Bank
and was built in 1848. In December of 1848, Kirkland conveyed a lot of land, ‘being principally covered by the Holyoke Bank, a
new Brick building lately erected by the grantee and being designated as lot #19 in a plan, 11.416’ to J.H. Butler.
Other property of Harvey Kirkland abutted the Holyoke Bank building on the southwest. At least one of these blocks
was a wooden building which burned down at the close of the nineteenth century. J. Lambie, who had bought this property from
the old Kirkland estate, erected the present five-story block. The block, until recently, housed the Nonotuck Bank.”
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.