4 Washington Avenue (formerly 240 E
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
31A-74 Easthampton NTH.482
Town: Northampton
Place: (neighborhood or village)
Address: 4 Washington Avenue (formerly 240 Elm)
Historic Name: Stevenson House
Uses: Present: Apartments
Original: Single-family residence
Date of Construction: 1870-1880
Source: Deeds & street maps
Style/Form: Queen Anne/Eastlake
Architect/Builder:
Exterior Material:
Foundation: brick
Wall/Trim: clapboard
Roof: asphalt shingles
Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates):
Condition: good
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date
Acreage: 0.244 acres
Setting: This house occupies a corner lot on in a
residential section of Elm Street.
INVENTORY FORM B CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [4 WASHINGTON AVENUE]
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No.
220 MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02125
Continuation sheet 1
NTH.482
___ 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 Stevenson House is a two-and-a-half story Queen Anne house with Eastlake ornamentation. Charles Eastlake
manufactured furniture with incised floral patterns that became popular in architecture as well. To fill its long narrow lot, the
front-gable house is three bays wide and about nine bays deep. It is clapboard sided and its stories and bays are sectioned off
by wide stringcourses, cornerboards and beltcourses. The house has two cross-gables on the east and has a two-and-a-half
story ell that appears to be a later addition with its gable peak rising above the ridge of the main block of the house. The major
gables of the house are all ornamented with scroll-cut bargeboards and the broad eaves rest on consoles at their corners.
Incised Eastlake ornament fills the gable peaks. A full width porch on chamfered posts has Eastlake ornamented capitals with
braces at the eaves. The railing is jigsaw cut in an arched pattern. A similar side porch at the northeast corner of the house
contains a secondary entry. Windows in the house have 2/2 sash and on the first floor they have footed sills. On both first and
second floor windows lintels are capped.
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 1977: “Land in this area, the property of Asa Wright, was plotted in 1870 when Washington Avenue was opened
from Elm Street. Wright sold a lot on the corner of Elm and Washington to Benjamin Stevenson. The 1884 Map of Northampton
indicates that C. A. Stevenson was the resident of this house. Ownership and life use of the house alternates from Stevenson
family to Carleys. A.G. Carley is indicated as resident on the 1895 Map. In 1940, the house was purchased from Carley by
Victor De Paola, father of present owner, Mrs. Robert Jeffway. De Paola built an addition on the Washington end of the house
and changed the entrance from 240 Elm to 4 Washington Avenue. He also converted the house into apartments.”
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: Book 373 p. 235