Main Street 51.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 32A-136 Easthampton NTH.857 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Address: 51 Main Street Historic Name: Smith
Charities Uses: Present: Smith Charities offices Original: Smith Charities offices Date of Construction: 1865-1866 Source: Gazette, Dec. 26, 1865 Style/Form: Italianate Architect/Builder:
William F. Pratt Exterior Material: Foundation: granite Wall/Trim: brownstone Roof: not visible Outbuildings/Secondary Structures: Major Alterations (with dates): Condition: good/fair
Moved: no | x | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.14 acres Setting: This building faces south and has a small park on its eastern side and a passageway on its west in an otherwise compact downtown
block.
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON ] [51MAIN STREET] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.857 ___ 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 Smith Charities Building is a fine, free-standing building with developed elevation on all
four sides in contrast to most of the other buildings in downtown Northampton that are attached in rows. It is a high style Italianate building of two-stories under a flat roof with
an embellished parapet wall on the south façade. The parapet that was carved in scrolls and floral motifs has has been delaminating, leading to the evaluation of the building as being
in good/fair condition. The smooth-faced brownstone building is three bays wide and four bays deep and great attention was given by its architect to design it in the manner of an urban
Italianate palazzo. On the first story the south façade has rusticated four piers separating the bays and rising to an entablature between first and second stories consisting of a wide
frieze and projecting molded cornice. In the two outer bays are arched windows that have trabeated surrounds with pilasters supporting the molded arches that have center keystones. The
center entry in bold relief has its own rusticated piers overlapping those that separate the bays. The entry piers support a pediment and frame the arched center entry with a trabeated
surround of pilasters supporting the molded arch. The entry has double leaf doors. First floor windows on the east and west elevations have large arched windows with molded lintels.
On the second floor of the the south façade the building’s corners have quoins rather than rusticated piers, adding considerable visual liveliness to the exterior. The three bays of
the second story have eared architrave surrounds topped by pediments. The two outer surrounds have triangular pediments, the center surround has a rounded pediment. Their sills are footed.
Windows on the east and west elevations of the second story have arched lintels. Above the second story the building has a full cornice with an arch and pendant molding in the frieze
and projecting molded cornice. 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: “The free-standing Smith Charities building at 51 Main Street was designed by William F. Pratt, a local
architect. The monumental aspect of the Smith Charities building harmonizes with its purpose. Oliver Smith of Hatfield died in 1845, leaving a remarkable will, whereby indigent children
and women were to receive financial assistance. Rufus Choate contested the will for Smith’s unhappy relatives, but he was no match for Daniel Webster, who successfully defended the will.
Countless residents of Northampton have benefited from Smith’s generosity.” 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.