Historic Buildings of Massachusetts

Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst (1894)

by Dan/January 8, 2012August 11, 2012/Amherst, Churches, Craftsman, Shingle Style

The Unitarian Universalist Church at 121 North Pleasant Street in Amherst was built in 1894. As related in Hitchcock’s Handbook of Amherst (1894), “The Universalist Society, organized November, 1887, has erected a new church building here. The services were held in Masonic Hall pending the erection of the church, and the Rev. J. H. Holden is pastor.” The Arts and Crafts style building contains stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John LaFarge.

Hammond Block, Northampton (1896)

by Dan/January 7, 2012January 7, 2012/Commercial, Northampton, Romanesque Revival

At 39 Main Street in Northampton is a commercial building called the Hammond Block (located next to the Masonic Block), built around 1896. The building is constructed of Roman Brick and its architecture was inspired by that of ancient Rome.

Johnson Chapel, Amherst College (1827)

by Dan/January 6, 2012/Amherst, Churches, Collegiate, Greek Revival

Johnson Chapel, Amherst College (1826-7)

Johnson Chapel was the fourth building to be constructed on the campus of Amherst College, following South College, North College and the first President’s House. Work on Johnson Chapel, which was constructed by builder Hiram Johnson, began in 1826 and the building was dedicated on February 28, 1827. It was named Johnson Chapel in honor of Adam Johnson of Pelham, whose bequest funded its construction. In addition to the chapel, the building originally contained a museum, library, laboratory and recitation rooms. Johnson Chapel was renovated in 1863 (at a cost equal to that of its original construction) and again in the 1920s. The Chapel, whose front had been on the west side, was extended forty feet to the east in 1933, with a new main facade now facing the Freshman Quad. When Johnson Chapel was first built, there was a legal dispute over Adam Johnson’s will. Continue reading “Johnson Chapel, Amherst College (1827)”

Agassiz House, Radcliffe (1904)

by Dan/January 5, 2012/Cambridge, Collegiate, Colonial Revival

The Elizabeth Cary Agassiz House, on the campus of Radcliffe College in Cambridge, was built in 1904 as the school’s student center. The building was named for the first president of Radcliffe, which is now part of Harvard University and is called the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Continue reading “Agassiz House, Radcliffe (1904)”

Howard-Downing House (1808)

by Dan/January 4, 2012/Federal, Greek Revival, Houses, Salem

The Howard-Downing House, at 8 Brown Street in Salem, was built about 1808 by Joseph Howard, a merchant born in 1780 who was engaged in the South American trade. The house’s Greek Revival doorway is a later addition. The building now houses condominiums.

Rust’s Block (1868)

by Dan/January 3, 2012/Commercial, Italianate, Northampton

Rust’s Block is a building at 207-211 Main Street in Northampton. It was built in 1867-1868 by Theodore Rust, whose grocery store, Rust & Sons, was located in the building, along with many other businesses over the years. Until about 1900, there was a public hall upstairs called Rust’s Hall. Rust bought the land, which had originally been part of the Judge Joseph Lyman estate, in 1867. Rust’s Block and Cracker Barrel Alley are located where the Lyman Mansion one stood.

Pliny Freeman House (1815)

by Dan/January 2, 2012/Houses, Sturbridge, Vernacular

The Pliny Freeman Farmhouse at Old Sturbridge Village was built elsewhere in Sturbridge by Chester Belknap between 1812 and 1815. It is named for Pliny Freeman, who bought the property in 1828 (his third in town) and spent 23 years there. He and his wife Delia Marsh had seven children, most of whom were grown by 1828 and most of whom eventually migrated westward. He sold the farm in 1851 and went to live with his daughter Delia until his death in 1855. The Freeman House was condemned by the Massachusetts highway department and moved to Old Sturbridge Village in 1950 (and relocated again in the Village in 1956). Today, it is surrounded by farm fields and historic outbuildings which collectively depict the life and work on an early-nineteenth century New England farm.