Fort Street 30.pdf
Follow Massachusetts Historical Commission Survey Manual instructions for completing this form. FORM B − BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Photograph Topographic or Assessor's Map Recorded by: Jayne Bernhard-Armington Organization: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Date
(month /year): June, 2010 Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number 38B-166 Easthampton NTH.1060 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Address: 30 Fort Street Historic
Name: Henry Rowley House Uses: Present: Two family residence Original: Single family residence Date of Construction: c. 1870 Source: Atlas & visual evidence Style/Form: Italianate Architect/Builder:
Exterior Material: Foundation: Brick Wall/Trim: Vinyl Roof: Slate Outbuildings/Secondary Structures: Small, one bay front gable garage Major Alterations (with dates): Vinyl siding (1980-2010)
Porch alterations, including vinyl frieze (1980-2010) Vinyl windows (1980-2010) 2010) Condition: Good Moved: no | x | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.19 acres Setting: House sits close to the
street in an established neighborhood of late 19th century single family homes, many of which have been converted into homes with two or more residential units.
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [30 FORT STREET] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.1060 _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 Italianate style house with a pedimented roof. This home is three
bays wide and three bays deep. This home was altered after it was first added to Northampton’s Inventory of historic properties in 1980 and now has vinyl siding and vinyl windows. Of
distinction is an Italianate style three part arched window in the gable field. Extending across the full width of the front façade is a one story porch with a hipped roof and chamfered
posts. The porch balustrade was removed and vinyl added to the frieze after 1980. The home has a trabeated front entry that encloses half-length sidelights on the western side and paneled
door. On the northern elevation of the home, there is a two story rear ell followed by a one-story enclosed porch. This property includes a small front gable shed. 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: “Fort Street derives its name from Fort Hill, the bluff overlooking the meadows south of the center of town. It was here that the local Indians were allowed to build
a fort in 1664. King Phillip’s War ended this friendly relationship. Fort Street was the first street to extend southeasterly from South Street. It ran over the bluff, into the meadows,
staying west of the Ox Bow, and eventually led to Springfield. The part in the meadows is still referred to today as Old Springfield Road. At the northern corner of South and Fort Streets
stood a tavern. This dated from at least the late 18th century. The location was important as this marked the split off of the roads to Easthampton and Springfield. During the second
third of the nineteenth century, two houses were built on Fort Street, just over the river bluff, heading into the meadows. However, it wasn’t until approximately 1870 that any houses
were built on Fort Street atop the bluff. This house was probably built by Rufus Rowley, a carpenter. The 1873 Atlas shows Henry Rowley, a teamster, owning the house and the 1873-1874
directory lists both Henry and Rufus Rowley on Fort Street.” 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.