National Register of Historic Places

Petersham Common Historic District

Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Listed
May 10, 1982
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
82004481

About this property

The Petersham Common Historic District encompasses the historic town center of Petersham, Massachusetts. Laid out in 1733 and centered on the town common bounded by Main and Common Streets, it retains most of its 19th-century character, with only a few turn-of-the-20th-century civic buildings adding later character. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Buildings within the district include the Petersham Memorial Library. The Nichewaug Inn formerly occupied the district until its demolition in 2022.

Location

Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts
42.49097, -72.18473

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTEXPLORATION/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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Everything a full report reveals about Petersham Common Historic District

This page lists Petersham Common 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

Prescott Town House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Holland-Towne House
Industrial
0.7 mi
Gay Farm
Industrial
1.9 mi
District No. 4 School
Industrial
2.9 mi
Searles Hill Cemetery
Listed
4.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Petersham Common Historic District listed on the National Register?

Petersham Common Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Petersham Common Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Petersham Common Historic District?

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

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

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