National Register of Historic Places

Monument Square Historic District

Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
July 7, 1982
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
82004474

About this property

The Monument Square Historic District is a historic district on Main and Water Streets, and Grove Avenue in Leominster, Massachusetts. The district includes Leominster's traditional town common or square, which is known as "Leominster Square" or "the Common." Leominster's common is the site of several monuments, including: a monument marking the site of the town's second meeting house from 1775-1824 (which was replaced by the first town house), a Native American mortar (moved to the site in 1880), several veterans' memorials, and a firefighters' memorial. The Leominster Historical Society headquarters is adjacent to the square. In 1743 the common was chosen as the site of the "First Church" meeting house in Leominster. At that time, an active church congregation was required for a town to gain a charter from the Massachusetts government. Originally a Congregationalist (Puritan) congregation, First Church's members later adopted a Unitarian theology in the early 19th century, causing the traditional Reformed (Calvinist) members to leave the building and found what is now Pilgrim Congregational Church, also located on the common. The First Church congregation was funded with state tax revenue until 1835, when Massachusetts separated its churches from state funding. The historic district also contains many 19th-century buildings, and the area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The city hall and various churches and businesses are adjacent to the square.

Location

Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.52715, -71.75935

Categories

COMMERCEPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
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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Everything a full report reveals about Monument Square Historic District

This page lists Monument Square Historic District. 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:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
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
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Wachusett Shirt Company
Industrial
0.2 mi
Whitney, F. A., Carriage Company Complex Historic District
Listed
0.3 mi
Jewett Piano Company Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Whitney & Company
Industrial
0.3 mi
Cluett Peabody & Company
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Raid on Lancaster MA (King Philip's War)
1676Colonial
6 mi
Attack on Lancaster 1676
1676Colonial
6.3 mi
First Lancaster Raid
1675Colonial
6.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Monument Square Historic District listed on the National Register?

Monument Square Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 7, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Monument Square Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Monument Square Historic District?

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

Can I research the history near Monument Square Historic District?

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 Monument Square Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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