Parsons, Shepherd, and Damon Houses Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Parsons, Shepherd, and Damon Parsons Houses Historic District
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1719 Parsons House
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 46–66 Bridge St., Northampton, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) |
| Architect | Isaac Damon |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000627 |
| Added to NRHP | June 6, 2001 |
The Parsons, Shepherd, and Damon Houses Historic District is a special area in Northampton, Massachusetts. It's like a time capsule, showing us how people lived long ago! This historic district covers about 2.5 acres and was first planned way back in 1654. It includes three old houses built between 1730 and 1830. Today, a group called Historic Northampton takes care of this property. Because it's so important, this district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
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Exploring the Old Houses
This historic district features three unique houses. Each one tells a story about the past through its architecture and changes over time.
The Nathaniel Parsons House
The Nathaniel Parsons House, located at 58 Bridge Street, is the oldest of the three. Its main part was built around 1719. You can still see features from its very early construction period. Over the years, the house was changed a lot. Between 1795 and 1815, it got many updates in the popular Federal style. Later, between 1815 and 1830, new sections were added to the sides. After that, only small changes were made.
The Shepherd House
The Shepherd House, found at 66 Bridge Street, was built in 1795. It's a great example of Federalist architecture, which was a popular style back then. This house also received some updates later on. In the mid-1800s, when the Greek Revival style was popular, some details were added. Around 1900, a porch was built in the Colonial Revival style.
The Isaac Damon House
The Isaac Damon House, at 46 Bridge Street, was built around 1813. Its main part is a typical Federalist-style home. It has five window bays and two stories. This house also has several additions at the back. One of these additions looks like it might have been part of a different building originally. The Damon family owned this house for a long time before Historic Northampton took it over.
History of the District
Northampton was settled in the 1600s. By the late 1700s, it had become a very important town in the Connecticut River valley. These three historic houses stand near the main intersection of Main and Bridge Street. This area was part of the very first plots of land laid out in the town.
The Parsons House sits on land that was first given to Joseph Parsons in 1654. He helped manage the early growth of the town. The Damon House was built by Isaac Damon himself. He was a very important architect in the area. Isaac Damon was known for promoting the Federal style of architecture. His work, along with another architect named Asher Benjamin, greatly influenced the buildings of that time.
