7 Market Street
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, 2011
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
32A-96 Easthampton NTH.2049
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village)
Address: 7 Market Street
Historic Name: Williams House
Uses: Present: Single-family residence
Original: Single-family residence
Date of Construction: ca. 1700
Source: deed
Style/Form: Federal
Architect/Builder:
Exterior Material:
Foundation: brick, concrete
Wall/Trim: weatherboards and clapboards
Roof: asphalt shingles
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
A portion of the house demolished, 1912.
Condition: fair
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date
Acreage: 0.062 acres
Setting: This house is west-facing and is heavily screened
with shrubbery. It is in a predominantly commercial section
of Northampton, though further up the street there are other
residential buildings.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [7 MARKET STREET]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.2049
___ 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-and-a-half story house under a side-gable roof and its proportions are those of an 18th century building. It is three
bays wide and has a center entry. The entry is sheltered by a flat-roofed portico on posts with respondent pilasters at the inner
wall. The relatively narrow entry surround is composed of pilasters supporting impost blocks and a full entablature with a
projecting cornice. The portico is Italianate in style and suggests a circa 1850 date, but the attenuated entry surround with
pilasters and entablature in low relief is Federal in style. Windows on the west façade have simple surrounds with drip edge
lintels and those on the second floor are set very closely to the eaves as was common between 1700 and about 1776. Sash is
2/2 wood, a later 19th century configuration. The house is sided in a wide weatherboard on the west and on the north elevation
where one or more bays were removed, it is sided in clapboards. On the roof ridge in alignment with neither the center door nor
a second story window is a chimney. Structural investigation might be clarify the house’s original configuration, but it is safe to
say that it was not a full three bays wider, and that one or two bays were more likely to have been the number removed. This is
an important house in Northampton’s history – both architecturally and as part of its developmental history.
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 remaining half of the Williams House on Market Street is said to be one of the oldest buildings in
Northampton.
‘It is thought by some local historians that the house may be one of the oldest in Northampton. An ancient deed to the
property, possessed by the Poleto family, is signed by John Pynchon, founder of Northampton. The deed conveys title from
Thomas Strong and wife, of Northampton, to Richard Long, of Hartford. Later the lot and original house became the property of
the Michael Williams family and is still referred to as ‘The Williams House.’
Joseph Poleto, Mrs. Tomeo’s father, bought the house and lot in 1912. A Mr. Risley, who was involved in the purchase,
tore down his part of the house and built a small business on the northerly half of the lot.”
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.