Petersham Common Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Petersham Common Historic District
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First Congregational Parish, Unitarian
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main and Common Sts., Petersham, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 47 acres (19 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Late Victorian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004481 |
| Added to NRHP | May 11, 1982 |
The Petersham Common Historic District is a special area in Petersham, Massachusetts. It includes the town's historic center. This area was first planned in 1733. It is built around the town common, which is a big open space. The common is located between Main Street and Common Street.
Most of the district still looks like it did in the 1800s. Only a few buildings from the early 1900s have been added. This historic district was officially recognized in 1982. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Important buildings here include the Petersham Memorial Library and the Nichewaug Inn.
Contents
What is the Petersham Common Historic District?
Land in Petersham was first given to settlers in 1733. The town officially became a town in 1754. The town common was created in 1733. House lots were also set up along what is now Main Street. This is where the town's first meeting house was built. All of Petersham's town halls have also been in this area.
Since 1878, a local group has taken care of the common. The area has been a local historic district since 1967. This means its special history is protected.
What Does the Historic District Look Like?
The historic district is mostly a long line of buildings. It stretches along Main Street. It goes from New Salem Road in the south to North Street in the north. There are about 45 buildings in the district. Most of them were built before 1850. Only a few are from the 1900s.
Two of the newer buildings, the town hall and the Unitarian Church, look like older 1800s buildings from the outside. Most buildings are made of wood. They are usually one or two stories tall. There is one brick building. It was built in 1848 and used to be a school.
Important Buildings and Styles
Two buildings were designed by a famous architect named Edmund Wilson. The Petersham Memorial Library is made of stone. It was built between 1889 and 1891. It was made to honor soldiers from the American Civil War. The Hotel Nichewaug was built in 1899. It was a hotel for summer visitors. It is built in the Shingle style.
Most of the other buildings in the district are in the Greek Revival style. This style was popular in the early 1800s. Besides the town common, there is another open space. It is called the North Common Meadow. This meadow is now a protected area. It is cared for by The Trustees of Reservations.
What is the Nichewaug Inn?
The Nichewaug Inn is a historic hotel in Petersham, Massachusetts. There was a hotel on this spot as early as 1850. The current building was built in 1899 by James Brooks. Two earlier hotels on the site had burned down. The famous architects Stone, Carpenter & Willson designed the current inn. They also designed the Petersham Memorial Library and the Petersham Center School.
The inn used to have a golf course. This area is now the North Common Meadow. A cellist named Helen Isabel Moorhouse stayed at the inn in 1915. She wrote letters to her friend Alice E. Brown. These letters are now kept at the University of Michigan.
Later Life of the Nichewaug Inn
In 1952, a group of nuns bought the inn. They were called the Sisters of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. They made the building bigger. They used it as a high school for girls for twenty years. It was called Maria Assumpta Academy.
The inn has been mostly empty since the 1980s. It has had several different owners. Now, the town of Petersham owns the building. In 2018, people in the town discussed what should happen to the property. The town was looking for people interested in buying it.
Images for kids
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Petersham Public Library, 1899
