National Register of Historic Places

Lower Historic District

Washington, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
September 11, 1986
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
86002141

About this property

Lower Historic District is a historic district on Washington Mountain Road in Washington, Massachusetts. The district encompasses four homesteads built between 1765 and 1803, including the town's oldest house. The houses are clustered along a stretch of Washington Mountain Road near the town line with Becket, and represent one of its first places of settlement. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. Land grants in the area that is now the town of Washington were first made in 1763. One of the first ten grants was made to William Milliken, who built the house at 1796 Washington Mountain Road not long afterward. Between then and the early 19th century, Milliken was joined by three other settlers in the immediate area, which is set on a terrace on the southeastern slope of Washington Mountain (elevation 1,600 feet (490 m)). This dispersed rural development was typical of the region in the period, but has in many instances been lost due to infill development. In this area, the soil was never very good for agriculture, and the properties changed hands numerous times. The area also lacked resources for industrial development, and was bypassed by the railroads, all of which were factors that effectively precluded later development. The district extends along Washington Mountain Road, north from the town line with Becket. Its principal surviving built resources are four houses, of which the Milliken house is the only one that predates American independence. The other three were built in the late 18th or early 19th century, and are examples of vernacular Federal period architecture. All are of wood-frame construction, with clapboarded exteriors; one is 1+1⁄2 stories in height, while the other three are 2+1⁄2 stories. There is also a 19th-century barn associated with one of the houses. Upper Historic District (Washington, Massachusetts), which encompasses the old town center National Register of Historic Places listings in Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Location

Washington, Berkshire County, Massachusetts
42.34044, -73.11567

Categories

AGRICULTUREEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURE
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
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
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
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
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

South Center School House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Saint Andrew's Chapel
Industrial
1.5 mi
North Becket Village Historic District
Listed
1.8 mi
Clark-Eames House
Industrial
2.1 mi
Upper Historic District
Listed
2.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Lower Historic District listed on the National Register?

Lower Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 11, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Lower Historic District?

Lower Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Lower Historic District?

The period of significance for Lower Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Lower Historic District?

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