Chester Center Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Chester Center Historic District
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The Congregational Church in Chester Center
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Chester, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Architect | Henry A. Sykes |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Colonial, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000161 |
| Added to NRHP | February 25, 1988 |
The Chester Center Historic District is a special area in Chester, Massachusetts, where many old and important buildings are protected. It's like a time capsule showing what the town center was like long ago! The first people who settled in Chester planned this area in 1763. For many years, it was the main hub for shops, meetings, and daily life in this farming town.
But things changed in the 1840s when railroads were built in other parts of Chester. The town center became less important because businesses moved closer to the new train lines. Even the town hall moved! This district includes buildings along Skyline Trail, near Bromley and Lyman Roads. You can see different old building styles here, like Greek Revival, Colonial, and Federal architecture. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, which means it's officially recognized as a valuable historical place.
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Exploring Chester Center
Chester Center is located on a high piece of land, on a ridge between two parts of the Westfield River. It sits along Skyline Trail, which is an important road that goes north and south through this country area.
Historic Buildings and Sites
The historic parts of the district include several old buildings and a cemetery. These are:
- Three historic houses
- An old schoolhouse
- The First Congregational Church, built in 1840
- The Chester Burying Ground (cemetery), where the first person was buried in 1769
Important Houses
- Rev. Aaron Bascomb House: This house was built in 1769 for the town's first minister, Aaron Bascomb. It's a typical Georgian-style house with five windows across the front and a large chimney in the middle.
- Searles House: This is a smaller, simple house built in 1787. It's a "Cape" style, which means it has 1 and a half stories.
- Dr. Anson Boies House: Built in 1810, this house was originally built by Reverend Bascomb for his daughter, who married Dr. Anson Boies.
The Old Schoolhouse
The district schoolhouse was built in 1798. It is one of the oldest schoolhouses still standing in all of Massachusetts! Imagine learning in a classroom from over 200 years ago.
The First Congregational Church
The beautiful First Congregational Church was designed and built by a skilled builder named Henry A. Sykes. He was from Suffield, Connecticut, and later became a famous architect in Springfield.
A Look Back at Chester's History
The town of Chester was first settled in 1763. It officially became a town in 1765 and was first called Murrayfield. The people who first owned the land in Chester made sure to set aside the area for the town center right from the start.
Early Town Life
The town's first meeting house, a building used for both church services and town meetings, was built sometime after the settlement. This building was later replaced by the Greek Revival-style First Congregational Church you see today. In the early days, Chester's economy was mostly based on farming.
The Rise of Industry and the Railroad
Over time, industries started to grow in an area now known as Chester Factories. This area had better access to water power, which was important for factories, and it was also closer to an early main road built around 1800.
In 1842, the railroad was built, but it bypassed the original town center and went through Chester Factories instead. This was a big change! Because of the railroad, businesses and people moved to Chester Factories, and the original village center became less important. It didn't develop much more after that, which is why many of its old buildings are still preserved today.
