11-15 Market 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, 2011
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
32A-93 Easthampton NTH.2048
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village)
Address: 11-15 Market Street
Historic Name: O’Donnell’s Block
Uses: Present: Commercial, Residential
Original: Commercial, Residential
Date of Construction: 1884-1895
Source: Atlases
Style/Form: Queen Anne/Panel Brick
Architect/Builder:
Exterior Material:
Foundation: brick
Wall/Trim: brick, limestone
Roof: not visible
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
Windows replaced and openings partially enclosed, ca.
1990.
Condition: good
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date
Acreage: 0.137 acres
Setting: This is a west-facing building in a row of
commercial buildings.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [11-15 MARKET STREET]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.2048
___ 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 O’Donnell Block is a three-story, red brick building with highly contrasting limestone trim. It has a flat roof bordered by a
metal, Queen Anne style cornice with a frieze of 8 panels separated by curved consoles. The first floor of the building is divided
into three bays with a center recessed entry set off by two piers of brick and limestone laid in a striped pattern. The outer two
bays are wood framed storefronts whose recessed entries are adjacent to the center entry and whose outermost bays are single
glass display windows below four-light transoms. The second and third stories have three slightly recessed bays with three
arched windows in the outer bays and a single arched window in the center bay. Limestone strincourses form continuous sills
for both second and third story windows and connect the arched lintels of the windows with limestone springing blocks and
limestone keystones. This is a highly colorful building with its contrasting materials used to create a visual liveliness that is part
of the Queen Anne style. The modest brickwork of paneling suggests the masonry version of the Queen Anne, which is the
Panel Brick 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 three story commercial and residential block was he first of its kind to be built on Market Street.
This was one of the oldest streets in Northampton and originally was entirely residential. The Connecticut River Railroad was
opened from Springfield to Northampton in 1845, and within a few years was extended northerly into Vermont. This line was laid
out about 100 feet westerly of Market Street and paralleled the street northerly. During the latter part of the 19th century, a mini-
warehousing district grew up along the western side of the street near Bridge Street and this promoted non-residential usage or
mixed use on the eastern side of Market Street.”
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.