Main Street 261-265.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 31D-116 Easthampton NTH.2254 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Northampton Center Address: 261-265 Main Street
Historic Name: O’Donnell Building Uses: Present: Commercial, residential Original: Commercial, residential Date of Construction: ca. 1886 Source: Daily Hampshire Gazette Style/Form:
late 19th c. Commercial Architect/Builder: Exterior Material: Foundation: not visible Wall/Trim: pained brick/pressed metal/wood/steel Roof: not visible Outbuildings/Secondary Structures:
Major Alterations (with dates): Windows replaced, ca. 1980; storefront re-configured 2010. Condition: good Moved: no | x | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.043 acres Setting: This building faces
south on Northampton’s main commercial street.
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [261-265 Main Street] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.2254 ___ 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. The two J. B. O’Donnell buildings in this block were constructed to identical designs, though this
building is one bay wider than the second, which is at 273 Main Street. They are three story, painted brick buildings under flat roofs with pressed metal cornices at the roofline. The
cornices include elaborate scrolled brackets. The facades are divided into bays by piers that are connected at their upper ends by a row of corbelled bricks. Here at 261-265 the four
bays of the façade are made up of segmentally arched windows at both second and third stories. The windows have segmentally arched lintels with keystones and footed sills. The lintels
and sills are probably brownstone, but now painted. Window sash has been replaced with metal 1/1 sash. At the first story level the building has a single contemporary storefront. 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 series of five brick blocks was built on upper Main Street late in the 1880’s. The lot was empty prior to this time. The Edwards Church had
been rebuilt on the corner of Main and State Streets in 1874. About 1886, the lot was first considered for commercial development when a four story brick block was contemplated at the
corner of Main and Masonic Street. Although these plans were abandoned, several other blocks had been built by late 1886, and the Daley Block is inscribed with the date 1887. The block
adjoining Edwards Church was first known as Higbee Block; lawyer J.B. O’Donnell owned #2 & #4 and sold them early in 1887.” 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.