Musgrove Block facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Musgrove Block
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Andover, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1895 |
| Architect | John H. Flint |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| MPS | Town of Andover MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004816 |
| Added to NRHP | June 10, 1982 |
The Musgrove Block is a cool old building in the heart of Andover, Massachusetts. It's a three-story brick building that was built way back in 1895. This historic spot is part of Andover's main Elm Square intersection. The building shows off a special style called Romanesque Revival, with fancy granite and brick details. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, which means it's an important historical landmark!
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What is the Musgrove Block?
The Musgrove Block sits on a unique, almost triangle-shaped piece of land. It's on the east side of Elm Square, which is a busy intersection with six roads meeting in downtown Andover.
Building Design and Features
This building has three floors and is made of red brick. The ground floor has shops, while the upper floors are used for offices. The front of the building faces the busy intersection, with a small open area in front.
The main front of the building is quite wide, with 15 sections. It has six storefronts and a main entrance. On the left side, facing Elm Street, there are three sections on the upper floors and two more shops on the ground floor. The right side of the building has a rounded corner, like the front of an old iron, leading to other parts of the building.
The shop windows on the ground floor are large and made of plate glass. Above them, there's a band for signs. The entrances to the shops are set back a bit. The main entrance for the upper floors is under a rounded arch. The windows on the second floor are rectangular, and the third-floor windows are also rounded at the top.
The windows on the upper floors are grouped together in special recessed areas. They are often in pairs, set within tall arches. A decorative brick band runs along the top, just below the flat roof.
A Look Back: Its History
Before 1894, the area where the Musgrove Block now stands was very different. It used to be a town green, which is like a public park, and also had an old hotel called the Eagle Hotel or Elm Tavern.
From Green Space to Grand Building
In 1894, a person named John Field bought this property. The old tavern was torn down. Then, the Musgrove Block was built right on top of what used to be the town green. Some people in the community weren't happy about this, as they wanted to keep the open space.
Early Businesses Inside
When the building first opened, it was home to different businesses. One of the first was a druggist who even had an ice cream counter – imagine that! There was also a bicycle shop, which must have been popular back then.
