Guenther & Handel's Block facts for kids

Guenther & Handel's Block
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Massachusetts Show map of Massachusetts Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	7-9 Stockbridge St., Springfield, Massachusetts
Area	less than one acre
Built	1845 (1845)
Architectural style	Greek Revival
MPS	Downtown Springfield MRA
NRHP reference No.	83000749
Added to NRHP	February 24, 1983

The Guenther & Handel's Block is a very old and special building in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was built way back in 1845. This makes it one of the oldest buildings still standing in the city's downtown area. It's also a rare example of a building style called Greek Revival architecture. This building is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Exploring Guenther & Handel's Block

What Does It Look Like?

The Guenther & Handel's Block is located in downtown Springfield. It's a three-story building made of brick. It has a simple but classic look, typical of the Greek Revival style.

The front of the building has five sections. On the top two floors, there are windows in three of these sections. The ground floor has a storefront with large display windows. There are also two doors on the left side of the building.

A Glimpse into Its Past

This building was constructed in 1845. It is one of the oldest commercial buildings in downtown Springfield. A man named Elam Stockbridge had it built. He was the person who started developing Stockbridge Street in 1839.

In the 1880s, a grocery shop was located on the ground floor. In 1913, Emil Guenther and his brother-in-law, Richard Handel, took over the grocery store. Their shop was known for selling high-quality foods from all over the world. They even used the second floor of the building as a kitchen.

The grocery business stayed in the family and at this same location until 1972. The business was then sold to new owners and moved to a different spot in 1973.