South Street 184-186.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 Organization: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Date (month /year): April
2011 Assessor’s Number USGS Quad Area(s) Form Number 38B-160 Easthampton NTH.1059 Town: Northampton Place: (neighborhood or village) Address: 184 & 186 South Street Historic Name: Calvin
Strong House Uses: Present: Four-family residence Original: Single-family Date of Construction: c. 1830 Source: visual evidence Style/Form: Federal /Italianate Architect/Builder: Exterior
Material: Foundation: Stucco covered fieldstone & Brick Wall/Trim: Asbestos Roof: Unknown Outbuildings/Secondary Structures: Major Alterations (with dates): Asbestos siding, post 1976
Vinyl windows, circa 20th century Condition: Good Moved: no | x | yes | | Date Acreage: 0.257 acres Setting: House sits on a corner lot in a residential neighborhood of former single
family homes that have been converted to buildings with two or more residential units.
INVENTORY FORMB CONTINUATION SHEET [NORTHAMPTON] [184 & 186 SOUTH STREET] MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Area(s) Form No. 220MORRISSEY BOULEVARD, BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS 02125 Continuation
sheet 1 NTH.1059 _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 large two story, square shaped home with a very low-pitched hip roof with wide overhanging
eaves. The historical narrative below suggests that this home was built in the late 18th century and that the present shape resulted from an expansion of an earlier home. Overall, the
house appears to have started in the Federal style but was then altered to the Italianate style when that style became popular. Stylistic features from the Federal period are the low-lying
foundation, massive center chimney, and narrow trabeated door on the southern elevation of the home. The current window fenestration suggests that the home may have started as five bays
wide and one bay deep. The double entrance with two light transoms, Italianate style entry portico, and Italianate style paired window above the entry portico on the South Street facing
elevation are likely circa 1870 alterations to the home that probably resulted when the home was made into a two family dwelling. The large screened side porch with heavy Tuscan columns,
solid frieze, and brick base on the northern elevation of the home was likely added after 1900 during the Colonial Revival period. Windows on the home have replacement one over one sashes.
They are in the Italianate style with architrave surrounds and projecting lintels. The house currently has asbestos siding, which is a post 1976 alteration to the home. 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 1976: “This large structure was first owned by the Phelps family. Nathaniel Phelps was one of the earliest settlers on South Street, establishing his homestead on this
site in 1707. Four generations of Phelps, all with the first name Nathaniel, made their homesteads here. The last Nathaniel was born in 1757 and married in 1781. He was ‘remembered as
an innkeeper, a blacksmith and a farmer.’ The youngest of his eleven children, Charles Phelps, was the fifth generation of the family to occupy the homestead. In 1831, he sold the property
to Calvin Strong and moved to Illinois. The property remained in the Strong family until the early 20th century. It appears as if this structure was probably built in the late 18th century,
possibly as an expansion of an earlier house. A 1914 article on local taverns says that ‘an old tavern used to stand on the corner of South and Fort Streets, known as Phelp’s Tavern,
and sometimes called—for what reason is not known—‘Ramoth Gilead.’ After the inn was given up, the building was made into two dwellings and has since been occupied by the Strong family.
This was an excellent location for an inn, as South Street was the main highway leading to Easthampton, and Fort Street led southerly through the meadows, along the Ox Bow and then along
the Connecticut River to South Street.” 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: Bk. 1513-P. 187, 187, 1318-381, 873-279,
862-95, 204-131