National Register of Historic Places

Town Farm, The

Easthampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
September 11, 1996
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
96000950

About this property

The Town Farm, now the Easthampton Lodging House, is a historic poor farm at 75 Oliver Street in Easthampton, Massachusetts. It was established in 1890 as an inexpensive way to provide for the town's indigent population, and is the only locally run facility of its type to survive in the state. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Easthampton's former town farm is located in a rural setting west of downtown Easthampton, on the north side of Oliver Street opposite Hollister Drive. The main building was built in a manner typical of earlier Greek Revival poorhouses: a central five-bay 2-1/2 story main block was flanked by residential wings. This structure, however, includes Craftsman and Queen Anne details more typical of the late 19th century. The building exterior has only received modest alterations since its construction, the most notable being an addition to the west wing made by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Poor farms were a typical means by which communities provided for their indigent poor in the 19th century. This facility was established by the town in 1890, and originally included a wider array of agricultural buildings. The facility was operated as a farm until 1955, at which time the town sold of the agricultural equipment of the farm, and leased the agricultural land to local farmers. In 1974 the facility was formally named the "Town Lodging House". The town resisted an effort to bring the facility under state control in 1986; it remains the only facility of its type under local control in the state. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, Massachusetts

Location

75 Oliver St.
Easthampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
42.28127, -72.69784

Categories

AGRICULTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTUREHEALTH/MEDICINE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Town Farm, The

This page lists Town Farm, The. 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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Town Farm, The report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Main Street Historic District
Listed
1.5 mi
US Post Office-Easthampton Main
Industrial
1.6 mi
Northampton State Hospital
Listed
3.2 mi
Center Cemetery
Colonial
3.4 mi
Dorsey-Jones House
Industrial
3.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Northampton MA Raid (Queen Anne's War)
1704Colonial
4.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Town Farm, The listed on the National Register?

Town Farm, The was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 11, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Town Farm, The?

Town Farm, The is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Town Farm, The?

The period of significance for Town Farm, The is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Town Farm, The?

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 Town Farm, The will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hampshire County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Hampshire County.

Explore HampshireCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Town Farm, The will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report