South Worthington Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

South Worthington Historic District

Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
August 31, 2005
Type
District
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
05000935

About this property

The South Worthington Historic District is a historic district encompassing the formerly industrial, but now rural, village of South Worthington, Massachusetts. The village is centered on the junction of Huntington Road (Massachusetts Route 112), Ireland Street, and Thrasher Hill Road. The district extends along Ireland Road as far as Conwell Road, and one contributing element, the dam which impounds Little Galilee Pond, extends into neighboring Chesterfield. The area had a number of small mills along the banks of the Little River, a tributary of the Westfield River, but only one complex, the Theron Higgins Mill on South Worthington Road, has survived from the 19th century. Most of the buildings in the district are residences dating to the 19th century; also included are three churches, including the particularly elegant Greek Revival South Worthington Methodist Church (1848). The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. The South Worthington area first developed as a modest agricultural area in the 1760s. A falls in the Little River proved a good location for a sawmill, which was standing by 1794, and followed by a grist mill in 1812. The village flourished as a service center for the local farmers, and additional mills survived for a time in the 19th century, one of which was used to manufacture window blinds. The first church was built in 1828; the building, which still stands, was later used as a general store and as a school, after the present Greek Revival church was built. The village also achieved some notice as the birthplace and summer home of Russell Conwell (1843-1925), a famous Baptist minister and writer who founded Temple University. Conwell's summer stays in the house of his youth brought visitors to the community. Conwell's association with the village is commemorated by boulder with a plaque mounted on it near that house, 42 Conwell Road.

Location

Worthington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
42.34420, -72.89181

Categories

ARCHITECTUREAGRICULTUREEDUCATIONINDUSTRYRELIGION
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
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Ireland Street Cemetery
Listed
1.5 mi
Ringville Cemetery
Listed
2.2 mi
North Chester Historic District
Listed
2.3 mi
Gate Cemetery
Early Republic
3.4 mi
Chester Center Historic District
Listed
4.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was South Worthington Historic District listed on the National Register?

South Worthington Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 31, 2005.

What type of historic resource is South Worthington Historic District?

South Worthington Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for South Worthington Historic District?

The period of significance for South Worthington Historic District is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near South Worthington Historic District?

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