National Register of Historic Places

Williamsburg Center Historic District

Williamsburg, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Listed
June 21, 1980
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80000506

About this property

The Williamsburg Center Historic District is a historic district on Massachusetts Route 9 in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. It encompasses the traditional center of the town, which was settled in the 18th century and grew to prosperity in the mid-19th century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Williamsburg Center Historic District is roughly centered where Main Street (MA 9) crosses the Mill River, with a number of local arterial roads radiating away on either side of the river. It extends from Village Hill Avenue in the north to Mill Street in the south, and includes portions of Mill Street, East Main Street, Williams Street, and Buttonshop Road. Buildings in the district include the Meekins Library, a Classical Revival building designed in 1897 by Putnam and Bayley, the former Hampshire Hotel building, built c. 1800 (which also was owned by the local chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union), the 1841 former town hall (now home to the local historical society museum), and the 1835 Greek Revival First Congregational Church. The area now known as Williamsburg was originally partitioned as part of land grants from towns near the Connecticut River in the 17th century, and it was incorporated in 1771 after permanent settlement began in the 1730s. The Mill River was an early site of industrial activity, and the crossing of Main Street was an important local feature, with a stagecoach stop. Early industrial activity in the village included the manufacture of button molds (1826), furniture, and clocks (1830). Waterpowered mills drove the local economy into the 1920s, despite an 1874 flood which destroyed many of the village's buildings. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, Massachusetts

Location

Williamsburg, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
42.39318, -72.73164

Categories

INDUSTRYTRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
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 Williamsburg Center Historic District

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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
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Haydenville Historic District
Listed
1.9 mi
Grove Hill Mansion
Industrial
3.2 mi
Northampton Veterans Administration Hospital Historic District
Listed
3.9 mi
Bisbee Mill
Early Republic
4.6 mi
Goshen Town Hall
Industrial
4.7 mi

Nearby Battles

King Philip's War — Battle of Bloody Brook
1675Colonial
6.3 mi
Northampton MA Raid (Queen Anne's War)
1704Colonial
6.6 mi

Questions about this property

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

Williamsburg Center Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Williamsburg Center Historic District?

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

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

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

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

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