Main Street Bridge (Leeds).pdf
Follow Massachusetts Historical Commission Survey Manual instructions 3/10 for completing this form. FORM F − STRUCTURE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION MASSACHUSETTS ARCHIVES BUILDING
220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Photograph Locus Map Recorded by: Bonnie Parsons Organization: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Date (month /year): January, 2011
Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number 10D-590 Easthampton NTH.901 Town/City: Northampton Place (neighborhood or village): Leeds Address or Location: Crossing Mill River between
Main and Water Streets Name: Leeds Hotel Bridge Ownership: Public Private Type of Structure (check one): ___ boat or ship ___ canal ___ carousel ___ dam ___ fort ___ gate ___ kiln ___
lighthouse ___ pound ___ powderhouse ___ street ___ tower ___ tunnel ___ wall ___ windmill __x_other (specify) Bridge Date of Construction: 1876 – 1884 Source: bridge patent plaque and
1884 atlas Architect, Engineer or Designer: Wrought Iron Bridge Company, Canton, Ohio, Materials: Wrought Iron Alterations (with dates): Guard rails added, n.d. Condition: visually good
Moved: no yes Date: Acreage: under one acre over river Setting: This bridge is located over the Mill River in a residential, municipal services neighborhood.
INVENTORY FORMF CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [Main & Water Streets] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.901 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. DESIGN ASSESSMENT Describe important design features and evaluate in terms
of other structures within the community. The Leeds Hotel Bridge is a is an iron, single-span, through-truss bridge approximately 45 feet long, 15 feet wide and 20 feet high. It is composed
of two angled portals with lattice-truss corner braces. Four parallel cords of upright posts connected by struts are arranged across the bridge. In the bays created by the four chords
are diagonal-bracing cables. The combination of chords and cables support the iron bridge floor of the bridge suspended over the Mill River below. At each end of the bridge on the entrance
strut is an iron manufacturer’s plaque cut in a scrolled pattern. Two street lights hang suspended from struts on the bridge. The lights and the metal guard rail are later additions
to the bridge that functions as a pedestrian bridge. As one of the last bridges in Northampton of this type, this bridge carries particular historical significance. HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
Explain the history of the structure and how it relates to the development of the community. From Form F of 1980: “This small bridge is one of two late 19th century iron road bridges
left in Northampton. It’s called Hotel Bridge because it originally led to the Leeds Hotel, which seems to have been established at about the same time as the bridge. In fact, the bridge
was probably built specifically for the hotel. At either end of the bridge are identical rectangular plaques capped by a decorative iron piece. The plaques read: Wrought Iron Bridge
Co. Canton, O.-Builders-Patented Nov. 21st 1876.” This bridge was built after the flood of 1874 when Leeds was largely washed away. 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.
INVENTORY FORMF CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [Main & Water Streets] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 2 NTH.901 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 Main Street bridge in Leeds would contribute to a Leeds Center Historic District. This small industrial village center
was rebuilt after the flood of 1874 had washed away its preceding textile mill buildings, housing and residents. It continued to function as a mill village into the 20th century and
the bridge connected industries on both sides of the Mill River. Architecturally it is significant as a representative bill village with boarding house, general store, mill building,
bridge, and workers’ housing. It has integrity of design, setting, association, feeling, workmanship and materials.