Gothic Street 42.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: Bonnie Parsons Organization: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Date (month /year):
March, 2010 Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number 31B-261 Easthampton NTH.713 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Address: 42 Gothic Street Historic Name: James
House/Justus Boies House Uses: Present: Northampton Police headquarters Original: Single-family House Date of Construction: c. 1850 Source: The People’s Institute Style/Form: Greek Revival
Architect/Builder: William F. Pratt Exterior Material: Foundation: granite and concrete Wall/Trim: flushboard Roof: asphalt shingles Outbuildings/Secondary Structures: Major Alterations
(with dates): West addition, ca. 1998. Condition: good Moved: no | x | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.386 acres Setting: This is an east-facing building on a street mixed with residential,
commercial and institutional buildings.
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [42 GOTHIC STREET] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.713 ___ 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 one of Northampton’s finest Greek Revival style buildings. It is a late version of the
style and its architect William Fenno Pratt embellished it with elements from the new Italianate style. The building is two stories in height under a pedimented gable that is supported
on four, fluted, colossal Ionic columns. It is three bays wide and the main block is three bays deep with two rear ells of one and three bays’ length. The main block is framed in pilasters
that were given an Italianate panel. The side hall entry has a trabeated surround that has a pediment above its cornice – an Italianate feature not found in the early Greek Revival style
which would have stopped at the cornice. Window surrounds follow that precedent with pediments alternating with segmental arches above architrave surrounds. The building is scored flushboard,
a Greek Revival feature of considerable finesse. On the east façade the first floor windows are full-length, a feature that was rare in the late Greek Revival period, but came into greater
use during the following Italianate period. The 20th century ells on the west side of the building are on concrete foundations and there is an angled secondary entry on the north elevation
that is institutional in design and use. 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 1975: “This residence in the Greek Revival style was built at the junction of Tappan Lane (now Gothic
Street) and Lyman Lane (Trumbull Street) in 1838. On January 1, 1839, Ashahel Abell sold to Ansell Abell ‘all that certain part of Tappan Place on which he has recently erected a dwelling
house.’ Miss Dwight’s Gothic Seminary abutted the lot to the south; later in the century Tappan Lave became Gothic Street, the name reflecting the architectural style of the seminary
building. The building is now known as the James House and is a part of the People’s Institute.” 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, 1540.379, 227.81, 205.278, 163.387, 96.329, 84.13
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [42 GOTHIC STREET] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 2 NTH.713 National Register of Historic Places Criteria Statement Form Check all that apply: Individually eligible Eligible only in an historic district Contributing to a potential
historic district Potential historic district Criteria: A B C D Criteria Considerations: A B C D E F G Statement of Significance by _____Bonnie Parsons___________________ The criteria
that are checked in the above sections must be justified here. The James-Boies House would be individually eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as one of
the early works of architect William F. Pratt and architecturally as a fine example of the Greek Revival style, relatively few examples of which remain as well-preserved in Northampton
as this building.