National Register of Historic Places

Middlefield Center Historic District

Middlefield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 2, 2012
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
12000827

About this property

The Middlefield Center Historic District encompasses the historic village center of Middlefield, Massachusetts. It is centered on the junction of Skyline Trail, the main north-south road, with Bell and Town Hill Roads. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. Permanent settlement of Middlefield began c. 1770, and the center area was one of the first places to be cleared. After the town was incorporated in 1783, the townspeople established a meetinghouse in the area, and it began to grow as the center of the new town's civic life. During the 19th century the center retained its sense as an agricultural village center, bolstered by the establishment of fairgrounds and an agricultural hall in the 1850s. Most of the village's historic development was along Skyline Trail, where most of the district's contributing properties lie; the rest lie along Bell Road, leading from the center toward the fairground (which is also part of the district). The oldest buildings in the district are Federal in style, with the oldest, the Daniel Chapman House at 140 Skyline Trail, built in 1780. Most of the district's buildings are residences, of which the Oliver Church House, built in 1869, is one of the region's finest examples of Italianate architecture. There are three examples of Craftsman architecture, all of which feature native stone elements on the exterior. One tavern survives, dating to about 1820, as do two commercial buildings. The town's former town hall, built in 1901, has Queen Anne Victorian features, and the Congregational Church is an eclectic combination of styles, the product of alterations and additions following a 1901 fire. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, Massachusetts

Location

138-188 Skyline Trail, & 7 Bell Rd.
Middlefield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
42.35106, -73.01504

Categories

AGRICULTUREARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
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
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
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.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Middlefield-Becket Stone Arch Railroad Bridge District
Listed
3.1 mi
Western Railroad Stone Arch Bridges and Chester Factory Village Depot
Industrial
3.1 mi
Clark-Eames House
Industrial
3.1 mi
North Becket Village Historic District
Listed
3.7 mi
North Chester Historic District
Listed
4.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Middlefield Center Historic District listed on the National Register?

Middlefield Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 2, 2012.

What type of historic resource is Middlefield Center Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Middlefield Center Historic District?

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

Can I research the history near Middlefield Center Historic District?

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