National Register of Historic Places

Bradford-Union Street Historic District

Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Listed
November 10, 1983
Type
District
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
83004094

About this property

The Bradford–Union Street Historic District encompasses a waterfront residential area of Plymouth, Massachusetts, developed in the mid-19th for workers in local maritime and other industries. It is centered at the junction of Bradford and Union Streets, across Town Brook from downtown Plymouth. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Plymouth was settled in 1620, and developed in the 18th century as a maritime center. In the 19th century, it expanded as services for this activity grew. In 1812 the first wharf southeast of the mouth of Town Brook was built by Samuel Doten; it is now the site of a yacht club. Residences were built on the roads facing the waterfront, and on the roads rising up the hill to the south. Union Street parallels the shore, providing access to the waterfront properties, and Bradford Street and Water Streets rise southwest to join it to Sandwich Street, for many years the principal through coast road. The Bradford Street area was developed in part as a speculative venture by Alden Harlow in the 1840s, giving the area most of its character. Harlow built a number of vernacular 1-1/2 story cottages with three-bay fronts, which are the single most numerous housing type in the district. The historic district is centered on the junction of Bradford and Union Streets. It extends southeastward along Union Street for a short distance, and northwest to the junction with Water Street. In addition to including the entirety of Bradford Street, it includes houses located on the adjacent roads: Emerald, Freedom, and Watercure Streets. The district is about 7 acres (2.8 ha) in size, and is now almost entirely residential in character, the industries on which its growth was based having either been demolished or severely altered. The principal surviving element of industry is visible in the brick structure of the Plymouth Marine Company at Union and Water Streets. National Register of Historic Places listings in Plymouth County, Massachusetts

Location

Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
41.95522, -70.66014

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Howland, Jabez, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Plymouth Post Office Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Cole's Hill
Colonial
0.2 mi
Old County Courthouse
Industrial
0.2 mi
Plymouth Rock
Listed
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bradford-Union Street Historic District listed on the National Register?

Bradford-Union Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 10, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Bradford-Union Street Historic District?

Bradford-Union Street Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bradford-Union Street Historic District?

The period of significance for Bradford-Union Street Historic District is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Bradford-Union Street Historic District?

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