National Register of Historic Places

Prospect-Gaylord Historic District

Amherst, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
February 4, 1993
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
93000007

About this property

The Prospect—Gaylord Historic District is a historic district encompassing a residential area built up mostly in the late 19th century just outside the central business district of Amherst, Massachusetts. Contributing properties include most of the houses on Prospect Street, which parallels Pleasant Street, as well as properties on Gaylord and Amity Streets running west from Prospect. These houses are generally in late Victorian styles such as Queen Anne, although some, for example a workman's house at 24 Gaylord Street, are in a more vernacular style. A central element of the district is the Hope Community Church, a historically African American church built in 1912 for a congregation whose history dates to 1869. Funds for its construction were raised in part through the efforts of W.E.B. Du Bois. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. Amherst, settled in the 17th century, remained a scattered agricultural community until the early 19th century. At that time, the town center began to take on a more pronounced commercial character, and its importance in the town was cemented by the establishment of Amherst College in 1825. Prospect Street was laid out in 1824 between Amity Street (1703) and Northampton Street, the original main road to the Connecticut River. This area was built up with modest Greek Revival houses set on small lots, while North Prospect Street, north of Amity Street, was developed later, with larger lots and more typical Victorian styling. Gaylord Street was laid out as a private lane in the early 1880s, and was subsequently lined with Queen Anne and later styles of housing.

Location

Amherst, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
42.37663, -72.52216

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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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
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Rivers & Rail
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Notable People
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Finds & Access
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Nearby Historic Sites

Strong House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Amherst Central Business District
Listed
0.1 mi
Lincoln-Sunset Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Amherst Central Business District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.2 mi
Amherst West Cemetery
Colonial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Prospect-Gaylord Historic District listed on the National Register?

Prospect-Gaylord Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 4, 1993.

What type of historic resource is Prospect-Gaylord Historic District?

Prospect-Gaylord Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Prospect-Gaylord Historic District?

The period of significance for Prospect-Gaylord Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Prospect-Gaylord Historic District?

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