Carreau Block facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Carreau Block
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Carreau Block
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 640-642 Chicopee St., Chicopee, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1912 |
| Architect | Carreau, Louis & Son |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000993 |
| Added to NRHP | August 6, 1998 |
The Carreau Block is a really old apartment building in Chicopee, Massachusetts. It was built way back in 1912. A famous builder named Louis Carreau designed it. He was from a French Canadian family. This building is special because it's the only one of its kind by him that's still standing! In 1998, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site.
What is the Carreau Block?
The Carreau Block is in a part of Chicopee called Willimansett. You can find it where Chicopee Street and Walter Street meet. It's a brick building with three floors. The building looks like the letter "L" from above.
Building Design and Materials
The Carreau Block is made of red-brown bricks. It has special yellow bricks or sandstone for decoration. You'll notice wavy, rounded window areas. These are on the main corner and next to the two entrances. There are also wavy windows on the side facing Walter Street.
Thin lines of yellow brick separate the first and second floors. Another line is found between the third floor and the roof's edge. This edge is a small concrete ledge. Inside, the building has fifteen apartments where people live.
A Look Back at Its History
The Carreau Block was built in 1912. This was a time when the Willimansett area was growing fast. Many people needed homes because of the factories in nearby Holyoke.
The area became popular after a bridge was built in 1893. This bridge crossed the Connecticut River. Two years later, streetcars started running there. This made it easy for people to get around.
Many of the first people who lived in the Carreau Block were from French Canadian families. This was just like the builder, Louis Carreau. Louis Carreau was a well-known builder in Chicopee and Holyoke. Most of his other buildings were made of wood. The Carreau Block is the only brick apartment building by him that is still in the city.
