Hawley Street 50.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 32A-168 Easthampton NTH.2068 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Address: 50 Hawley Street Historic
Name: J. Hunt Butler House Uses: Present: Four-unit residence Original: Single family residence Date of Construction: 1832 Source: Hampshire Gazette Style/Form: Greek Revival Architect/Builder:
Thomas Pratt Exterior Material: Foundation: Stone and Brick Wall/Trim: Aluminum Roof: Asphalt Outbuildings/Secondary Structures: Major Alterations (with dates): Three-sided bay and porch
(mid 19th century) Aluminum siding (late 20th century) Condition: good Moved: no | X | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.41 Setting: House faces west onto Hawley Street on what is now a corner
lot. Up and down the western side Hawley Street, parallel to the railroad tracks, are commercial, office, and industrial businesses. The eastern side of Hawley Street is predominantly
comprised of residential uses. This house sits at the western edge of a turn of the century residential subdivision. Minimal shrubbery and plantings line the foundation of the home and
mature trees can be found in the rear.
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [50 HAWLEY STREET] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.2068 __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 Greek Revival Style home with pedimented front gable. The tympanum
has a large triangular louver. The house is five bays and four bays deep. At the center of the front façade is the entrance portico with classical entablature, which is supported by
paired fluted columns. The slightly recessed front entrance is elaborated with sidelights, pilasters, and fine classical moldings. The stacked porch of matching proportions directly
above the entrance portico was added to the home after 1980. This porch has a shed roof, solid balustrade, and unfluted columns. In the mid 19th century an Italianate style one-story
porch and three-sided bay were added to the southern side. The one-story side porch has a bracketed cornice and square posts with beveled corners and molded capitals. The three-sided
bay has a matching, bracketed cornice. There is also a large two-story ell to the rear of the home. The window surrounds appear to be original to the home but the windows have been replaced
with one over one sash. The home currently has four brick chimneys. Three of the brick chimneys are located at three of the four corners of the principal block of the home, suggesting
that a chimney in the northwest corner may have existed at one time. The Fourth extant chimney is located on the rear ell. The principal block of the home has a stone foundation while
the foundation of the side porch and bay on the southern side and the rear ell have a brick foundation. The house currently clad with aluminum siding. 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 & 1980: “The current house was built by Thomas Pratt for J. Hunt Butler in 1832, replacing the c. 1796 home of his father. Mr. Pratt came from Boston in 1810 and ‘for
a long time was the leading home architect and builder in the region.’ The Judge Dewey House on Elm Street (now on Smith College campus), and Judge Samuel Howe house on Prospect Street
(later known as Miss Capen’s School) are two fine examples of his work in town. Mr. Pratt’s son, William F. Pratt, continued the family tradition and became Northampton’s main architect
in the second half of the 19th century.” This is the most imposing of the three late 18th-early 19th century houses in a row on Hawley St. In 1796 Simeon Butler obtained the northern
half of Quartus Pomeroy's homestead. Mr. Butler was a cousin of William Butler, the founder of the Hampshire Gazette, and opened a bookstore on Shop Row the same year he established
himself on Hawley St. In 1800 he was appointed the third postmaster of Northampton. The establishment of the Post Office in 1792, along with-the founding of the Hampshire Gazette in
1786, marked the beginning of a new era for the community. Mr. Butler kept the Post Office in his store, and during the early 19th century increased his business "till it became the
largest book and publishing house in the western half of the state". Simeon's son, J. Hunt Butler entered into partnership with his father in 1828. After Simeon's death he continued
the business alone. Mr. Butler was very active in local affairs, serving as County Treasurer from 1846 to 1850, as president of the Hampshire Mutual Insurance Co. from 1842 to 1848,
as president of the Northampton Bank for ten years, and as president of the Northampton Institute for Savings. He died in 1878. The homestead was continued by his widow, Sarah M. Butler,
for the rest of the 19th century. In 1891 Butler Place was opened between this house and the William Butler house, which is next south.” 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.