Mausert Block facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mausert Block
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Mausert Block
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 19-25 Park St., Adams, Massachusetts |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1901 |
| Architect | James Fleming |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004948 |
| Added to NRHP | April 1, 1982 |
The Mausert Block is a historic building in Adams, Massachusetts. It is located at 19-25 Park Street. This building was constructed between 1900 and 1901. It is a great example of Romanesque Revival architecture, a style that looks back to old Roman buildings. The Mausert Block is one of four important brick buildings on Park Street. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
About the Mausert Block
The Mausert Block is in the center of Adams. You can find it on the east side of Park Street, across from the town hall.
Building Design and Features
This building has three stories and is made of brick. It has a flat roof with a decorative edge. This edge has small blocks and teeth-like shapes, making it look very fancy.
The windows on the second floor are rectangular. They have rough-cut stone sills (bottom parts) and lintels (top parts). The windows on the third floor are different. They have a rounded arch shape at the top with a special wedge-shaped stone called a keystone in the middle.
The ground floor has several different shops. The main entrance to the building is in the middle. It is set back inside a large, rounded archway. There is another smaller archway at the south end of the building. This archway leads to a small shop space.
A Look at Its Past
The Mausert Block was built by two brothers, George and Conrad Mausert. They were local business owners. From 1920 to 1970, a lawyer named Walter J. Donovan had his offices on the second floor.
In the 1930s, a well-known store called F.W. Woolworth opened at 19-21 Park Street. The building also used to house the Adams Masonic Hall. It even had the town's very first telephone exchange, which was where phone calls were connected.
In 2009, the building was officially declared unsafe. Even though people living there weren't forced out right away, the building soon became empty. In 2011, a company called Braytonville Properties bought it. They started fixing it up in 2012, including adding new storefronts along Park Street.
