West Springfield – Historic Buildings of Massachusetts

St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church (1905)

by Dan/April 4, 2012/Churches, Commercial, Vernacular, West Springfield

The building at 23 Southworth Street in West Springfield was built in 1905 in a newly developing residential area subdivided into lots from the Southworth family’s farm. The building itself was never a residence, but has been a bakery, home to the Puritan Home Made Candy Company, and a store. Since 1960 it has been St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, a parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. There are plans to replace the small building in the future with a somewhat larger one having a full basement.

Dr. Reuben Champion House (1815)

by Dan/April 4, 2012/Federal, Houses, West Springfield

The house at 334 Elm Street in West Springfield was built in 1815 for Dr. Reuben Champion at the time of his marriage to Pama Stebbins. Dr. Champion was born in West Springfield in 1784 and went to school in Westfield. He set up his practice in West Springfield in 1809 and has left account books (now at UMASS) containing a chronological listing of treatment and remedies, but with very little personal information about patients. Patients could earn credit for his services by working his farm land (his homelot occupied several acres). The doctor also served as a justice of the peace and in the state senate. He died in 1865 and is buried in Meeting House Hill Cemetery, which is now called White Church Hill Cemetery. Members of the Champion family lived in the house for 163 years.

Phillips House (1767)

by Dan/July 11, 2009January 18, 2020/Colonial, Houses, West Springfield

The Phillips House was built around 1767 and originally stood on High Street in Taunton until 1930, when it was moved to the Eastern States Exposition Grounds in West Springfield to become part of Storrowton. It now houses the Storrowton Village Gift Shop and administrative offices.

New England Grange Building (1938)

by Dan/July 10, 2009July 10, 2009/Colonial Revival, Organizations, West Springfield

The New England Grange Building is located on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. It was built through the cooperation of the six New England state Granges (part of the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry) and was dedicated on September 21, 1938, just before the Hurricane of 1938 struck the fairgrounds. The Connecticut State Grange website has a section with more information about the building.

Union Meeting House, Storrowton (1834)

by Dan/April 8, 2009/Churches, Federal, West Springfield

Now part of the collection of historic buildings that make up Storrowton Village at the Eastern States Exposition grounds in West Springfield, the Union Meetinghouse was originally built jointly by four religious denominations in Salisbury, New Hampshire, in 1834. The Meeting House was moved from the Smith’s Corner neighborhood of Salisbury to Storrowton in 1929. The pulpit came from another New Hampshire town and the 1851 bell is from a church in Neponset, Massachusetts.

Baptist Meeting House, Storrowton (1822)

by Dan/February 28, 2009April 7, 2009/Churches, Federal, West Springfield

In 1806, the members of the Baptist church in Suffield, Conn who were living in Southwick, Mass decided to form their own church, which was later formally incorporated in 1826. The Baptist Meeting House was built around 1822. It was moved to Storrowton, at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield in 1930. In 1957, the Meeting House was attached to the Atkinson Tavern to double the size of the popular Storrowton Tavern restaurant.

Atkinson Tavern (1789)

by Dan/February 28, 2009July 5, 2009/Federal, Taverns, West Springfield

Atkinson Tavern was built around 1789 in Prescott, MA as a home and tavern business for John Atkinson, a Revolutionary War veteran. In 1938, Prescott was one of four towns to be disincorporated to make way for the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir. With the Tavern’s original location acquired by the Metropolitan District Commission, Helen Storrow moved the building to the Eastern States Exposition grounds to become part of Storrowton. It is now leased by the Big E to be run as a restaurant called Storrowton Tavern.