Centre Village Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Centre Village Historic District
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Main Street
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Along Main St., Southbridge, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 24 acres (9.7 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival[1], Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals[2], Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000379 |
| Added to NRHP | September 07, 1979 |
The Centre Village Historic District is a special area in Southbridge, Massachusetts. It includes the historic main business part of the town. This district covers buildings along Main Street, roughly between Elm and Goddard Streets. It's a great example of a well-preserved commercial area from the late Victorian era. This important district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Contents
Discovering Southbridge's History
The area we now call Southbridge was first settled in 1713. It became its own town in 1816, formed from parts of Sturbridge and Charlton. For a long time, the town center was a key meeting place. There was a meeting house where the Central Baptist Church stands today, right next to a cemetery.
How Southbridge Grew
Southbridge started to grow industrially very early. Sawmills and gristmills (which grind grain) were built along the Quinebaug River. In the 1800s, the town grew very quickly. This was because the river's power was used to make things like textiles (cloth) and optical equipment (like glasses).
Main Street, which is now Massachusetts Route 131, became very important. It was the main place for businesses. It was also where the town's most important leaders built their homes. Because of this, the center of town has commercial buildings from the 1840s to the 1910s. You can also see many beautiful homes from the same time period.
Exploring the Historic District
The historic district stretches along Main Street for about 0.4 miles (0.64 km). It goes from Hamilton Street on the west to Coombs Street on the east.
Key Buildings to See
At the east end of the district, you'll find the house of Ebenezer Ammidown, built in the 1810s. His family was very important in starting the town's mills and its downtown area. Today, this house is used as a local cultural center.
On the western end of the district, there's the old Universalist Church. It's a Greek Revival style building, built around 1840.
The commercial buildings along Main Street were mostly built between 1840 and 1900. They are a mix of wood and brick buildings, showing many different styles.
Important Public Buildings
Some important public buildings are also part of the district. One is the Jacob Edwards Library. It's a beautiful Georgian Revival building. It was built in 1914 and designed by a famous architect named Daniel Burnham from Chicago.
