National Register of Historic Places

Orange Center Historic District

Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts
Listed
April 26, 1989
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
89000057

About this property

Orange Center Historic District is a historic district encompassing the historic civic, commercial, and industrial heart of Orange, Massachusetts in the United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The area that is now the center of Orange was settled around 1785, when a bridge was built across the Millers River, which flows through it in a westerly direction toward the Connecticut River. The town grew in the first half of the 19th century as an industrial area, and its growth increased substantially with the arrival of the railroad in 1846. It became widely known in the second half of the 19th century for the manufacture of sewing machines. The town's economy declined during the Great Depression, and has been at a lower ebb since then. The historic district is roughly linear, extending north–south along North and South Main Streets from School Street in the north to River Street on the south side of the Miller River. It extends for a short distance along East and West Main Streets. Included in its roughly 12 acres (4.9 ha) are 37 historically significant buildings, most of which are commercial brick or wood-frame buildings in a variety of styles. Also included are the town hall (built 1868), two churches, railroad-related infrastructure including a surviving freight house. At the northern end of North Main Street are a few period residences, including an ornate Italianate French House that now serves as the home to the local historical society. The Grand Army of the Republic Hall was torn down in the early 1990s. National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, Massachusetts

Location

Orange, Franklin County, Massachusetts
42.59045, -72.31013

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
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 Orange Center Historic District

This page lists Orange Center 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

Orange Armory
Industrial
0.3 mi
Whitaker-Clary House
Industrial
3.4 mi
Pequoig Hotel
Industrial
4 mi
Athol High School
Industrial
4.6 mi
Old Town Hall
Industrial
4.7 mi

Questions about this property

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

Orange Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 26, 1989.

What type of historic resource is Orange Center Historic District?

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

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

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

Can I research the history near Orange Center 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 Orange Center Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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