291 Riverside Drive
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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
30B-43 Easthampton NTH.435
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village)
Address: 291 Riverside Drive
Historic Name: William Holiday House
Uses: Present: Single-family residence
Original: Single-family residence
Date of Construction: ca. 1867
Source: deed research
Style/Form: Italianate
Architect/Builder:
Exterior Material:
Foundation: brick
Wall/Trim: brick/stone
Roof: not visible
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
Windows replaced, porch added and glazed, vinyl siding
added, ca. 1990
Condition: good
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date
Acreage: 0.413 acre
Setting: This house occupies a corner lot on a
raised plot of land. It faces south and towards the Mill
River.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [291 RIVERSIDE DRIVE]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.435
___ 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.
This is an Italianate style house with a flat roof, widely overhanging eaves on paired brackets meant to appear like an Italian
country villa. While most Italianate style houses in the 1850s-1870s were in frame construction, this was intended to be a
grander house and was constructed in the more expensive brick. The added porch and altered windows obscure much of the
house’s original appearance, but remaining in addition to the roof and eaves are the segmentally arched windows with stone
lintels and the squared bay window on the east elevation, a feature that became very popular during the Italianate style period
as a means of letting more light and air into the house.
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: “William Holiday bought a half an acre lot from the Bay State Hardware Company in 1867. This was lot
three on Bay State Hardware Company’s 1867 plan for the development of Main Street (now Riverside Drive), High Street (now
Lexington Avenue), and Maple Street (now Liberty Street). These streets are situated on the lower slope of the south side of
Baker’s Hill near the manufactory. In many instances, the Company had houses built and rented them to its employees. This
probably didn’t happen here as this is a more substantial house than the others in the area.
William Holiday was a millwright and occupied the house until 1890 when he sold it to Christian Markle. Markle is listed
as an inspector for the Northampton Cutlery Company (the successor to the Bay State Hardware Co.) in the local directory.”
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.
Registry of Deeds: Bk. 432-P. 84, 241-53