Charlestown Main Street Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charlestown Main Street Historic District
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South Parish Unitarian Church
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| Location | Main St., Charlestown, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 53 acres (21 ha) |
| Architect | Stephen Hassam, others |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Federal, American Foursquare |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000835 |
| Added to NRHP | June 10, 1987 |
The Charlestown Main Street Historic District is a special area in Charlestown, New Hampshire. It's like a time capsule along Main Street (New Hampshire Route 12). This district shows more than 200 years of the town's history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This list helps protect important places in the United States.
Exploring Charlestown's Historic Main Street
Charlestown is located next to the Connecticut River in southwestern New Hampshire. It was first started in 1734 by the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Back then, it was called "Number Four." Later, in 1753, it was officially named Charlestown by the Province of New Hampshire.
In 1740, a fort was built here. For a while, it was the northernmost European settlement along the river. You can visit a recreated version of this fort today at the Fort at Number 4. The main part of Charlestown, including Main Street, started to develop in 1763. There are ten buildings in this historic district that were built before 1800. One example is a brick schoolhouse from 1772, which is now a private home. Another is the Johnson House, built around 1752.
Buildings from the Past
Most of the buildings you see in central Charlestown were built in the 1800s. A big fire happened in 1842, but many buildings survived. Some of these were designed in the Federal style by a local builder named Stephen Hassam. His own house, built around 1800, is one example. The Rick's Electric building at 72 Main Street and the old Connecticut River Bank building are also his designs. These two brick buildings are great examples of the Federal style. Stephen Hassam also designed the brick South Parish Unitarian Church in 1842.
More Historic Landmarks
The second half of the 1800s brought even more interesting buildings. The Charlestown Town Hall was built in the Italianate style. It is so important that it's also listed separately on the National Register. St. Luke's Episcopal Church is another notable building. It's made of wood and built in the Gothic Revival style. This style was inspired by the famous architect Richard Upjohn.
The Silsby Free Library was built between 1893 and 1894. A man named Ithiel Silsby left money in his will to build it. The library was designed by C. C. McAlpine from Boston, Massachusetts. It was built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, which often uses heavy stone and rounded arches.
