Oakham Center Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Oakham Center Historic District
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Coldbrook Rd., Maple St., Barre Rd., & Deacon Allen Dr., Oakham, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1770 |
| Architectural style | Colonial; Federal; Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 100004337 |
| Added to NRHP | February 6, 2020 |
The Oakham Center Historic District is a special part of Oakham, Massachusetts. It's like a time capsule showing how the town center looked long ago. This area includes old homes, a church, and a library. It became a town center around 1770. In 2020, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical place.
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Exploring Oakham's Historic Center
The town of Oakham is in western Worcester County. Early settlers came here in the 1740s. At first, Oakham was part of Rutland. It became its own town in 1775. The first homes were spread out. People mostly farmed the land.
How the Town Center Began
The town center started to form around 1770. A man named William Hunter gave land to the town. This land was near a crossroads. It was used for a church, a school, and a place for animals. It also had a burying ground. This crossroads is now where Maple Street, Coldbrook Road, and Ware Corner Road meet. It became the heart of the town.
Growth of the Village
Many homes were built in the village in the early 1800s. Most of this growth happened along Maple Street. Many houses also had small workshops. These workshops were for making things or for businesses. An old inn once stood facing the town common. It burned down in 1908.
Important Buildings and Homes
The Congregational church is a main building in the village. It was first built in 1814. This church replaced an older, simpler building. In the 1840s, it was moved and made bigger. It was also restyled to look like a Greek temple. This style is called Greek Revival. The church's tall steeple was damaged in the Great New England Hurricane of 1938.
The Oakham Library
Close to the church is the Oakham library. It was built in 1908. This building is made of stone. The townspeople helped build it. They donated fieldstones from their own properties. This made the library a true community effort.
Historic Houses
Maple Street has many interesting old houses. Two homes have special Greek Revival fronts. They have tall, two-story columns. Another house from 1912 is a Craftsman style home. It is one of the newest in the district. The oldest house in the village is on Coldbrook Road. It was built around 1790. It is a Georgian Cape style house.
