National Register of Historic Places

Jones Block

Adams, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
March 31, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82004947

About this property

The Jones Block is a historic commercial building at 49–53 Park Street in Adams, Massachusetts. Built about 1895, it is one of a small number of surviving commercial buildings from the town's most rapid period of growth. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The Jones Block is located in the town center of Adams, on the east side of Park Street north of town hall. It is a three-story brick structure, topped by a flat roof, with a decorative band and dentil molding at the roof line. The ground floor consists of two storefronts, framed by cast iron paneled columns, on either side of a central building entrance. Second and third floor windows are set in round-arch openings, those on the second story with sandstone keystones. It is one of the four brick buildings on Park Street, along with the P. J. Barrett Block, Armory Block, and the Mausert Block. The block was built in 1895 for Albert Jones, a clerk in a local clothing retailer. Originally two stories in height, it housed that store on the ground floor, and the local Hibernian Hall on the second floor. The third floor was added in the early 20th century, using matching materials and styling to the original construction, and replicating its original cornice. The styling and placement of the third floor windows suggest that it was also used as a meeting space; it is not known whether Jones had planned for the expansion when the structure was originally built. The building has been vacant for over 20 years since 1996, when a devastating fire on the second and third floor almost resulted in demolition of the building. Attempts by numerous developers to renovate the building had not been successful. The final developer, FP QOZB llc, purchased the building in 2021 and the renovation finally completed in 2023 after three decades. National Register of Historic Places listings in Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Location

49--53 Park St.
Adams, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
42.62264, -73.12000

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Park Street Firehouse
Industrial
0 mi
Armory Block
Industrial
0 mi
Pittsfield & North Adams Passenger Station and Baggage & Express House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Barrett, P. J., Block
Industrial
0.1 mi
Simmons Block
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Jones Block listed on the National Register?

Jones Block was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 31, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Jones Block?

Jones Block is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Jones Block?

The period of significance for Jones Block is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Jones Block?

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