215 South 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: Jayne Bernhard-Armington
Organization: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Date (month / year): April 2011
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number
38B-75 Easthampton NTH. 1004
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village)
Address: 215 South Street
Historic Name: Lathrop Home for Aged and Infirmed
Women
Uses: Present: Institutional
Original: Institutional
Date of Construction: 1920-1921
Source: Building Permit
Style/Form: Colonial Revival
Architect/Builder:
Exterior Material:
Foundation: Brick
Wall/Trim: Brick
Roof: Slate
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
Condition: Good
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date
Acreage: 1.6 acres
Setting: Building sits in a residential neighborhood of
former single family homes that have been converted to
buildings with two or more residential units.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [215 SOUTH STREET]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.1004
__X_ 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 nursing home that was built in the Colonial Revival style with a slate gable roof that has a molded
cornice with modillions. The plan of the building is a modified “V” with two story southern wing that was added to the building in
1931. The building’s exterior is comprised of brick façade and has brick quoining running vertically across the façade to form
bays. At the center of the “V” is a one story curved porch with Tuscan columns and flat roof with full entablature at the eaves.
Windows have brownstone sills and flat segmental brick lintels with projecting brick keystones. Most of the windows are three
over one sash vinyl replacements although there are some six over one sash windows. Above the center entrance is a Colonial
Revival style tri-part window. The slate gable roof has a series of shed roof dormers with paired pilaster windows. At the end of
the north wing is a shallow two-story wing with flat roof that functions as a sun room on both floors. The sun room wing has
ribbon and tri-part windows. There is a brick chimney on the northern wing and the foundation of the building is comprised by
brick.
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: “The ‘Lathrop Home for the Aged and Infirm Women in Northampton’ had its start in the ‘Home for the
Sick,’ which was established in 1884. This was the first private charitable organization in Northampton and was the idea of Mrs.
Clara Lathrop. A house on the corner of South and Olive Streets was rented for $250 a year. The house was furnished by the
area churches. With the opening of the Dickinson Hospital in 1886, the problem of adequately caring for sick and injured people
was settled, and the ‘Home for the Sick’ was changed to minister to a different need, women too aged or infirm to make a home
for themselves. In 1887, the house was purchased and the institution was incorporated as the ‘Home for Aged and Invalid
Women in Northampton.’ After Mrs. Lathrop’s death in 1908 the name of the Home was changed to the ‘Lathrop Home for Aged
and Invalid Women in Northampton.’
In 1920, Mrs. Frank Look purchased the Charles Clark homestead on South Street for a new building for the ‘Lathrop
Home.’ This would be a memorial to her mother, Mrs. Sarah M. Burr. The building was completed in 1921 and first occupied on
Sept. 22, 1921. Mrs. Look’s gift included the furnishing of the kitchen, dining room, hall, parlor, one bedroom and the four
sunrooms. Thirty-one of the bedrooms were furnished by donors.”
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.