Leavitt-Hovey House
About this property
The Leavitt–Hovey House is an historic house located at 402 Main Street in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Built in 1797, it is a prominent work of local architect Asher Benjamin, and a good local example of Federal period architecture. From 1909 to June 17, 2023, it served as the home of the Greenfield Public Library. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and was included in the Main Street Historic District in 1988. The Leavitt–Hovey House stands in downtown Greenfield, on the north side of Main Street east of the main business district and opposite Hope Street. It is a two-story wood-frame structure, with numerous additions to its sides and rear. The main block is topped by a hip roof, with two interior chimneys. Its exterior is finished in wooden clapboards. The front facade is five bays wide, with a center entrance sheltered by a gabled porch supported by clustered columns. Front-gabled wings are attached to each side at a recess, with similar styling. The house was designed architect Asher Benjamin in 1797 for Judge Jonathan Leavitt. Leavitt was a graduate of Yale College. He began his career as an attorney in Greenfield. He later served as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in 1812, and Judge of Probate from 1814 to 1821, as well as the first president of the Franklin Bank of Greenfield. He used the west wing of this house as an office for his business activities. Judge Leavitt married the daughter of Yale President Ezra Stiles. Some original architectural elements of the Leavitt–Hovey House are in the collection of Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, where they may be seen by appointment. The town of Greenfield took the home by eminent domain in 1907, and in 1909 moved the Greenfield Public Library into the building until June 2023, when the library moved to its new home at 412 Main Street. National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, Massachusetts
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about Leavitt-Hovey House
This page lists Leavitt-Hovey House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Leavitt-Hovey House listed on the National Register?
Leavitt-Hovey House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 22, 1983.
What type of historic resource is Leavitt-Hovey House?
Leavitt-Hovey House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Leavitt-Hovey House?
The period of significance for Leavitt-Hovey House is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Leavitt-Hovey House?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Leavitt-Hovey House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Franklin County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Franklin County.
Explore FranklinCounty ›More historic places in Massachusetts
Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.
View Massachusettshistoric sites ›Massachusetts history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
Massachusettshistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Leavitt-Hovey House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.