Sunderland Center Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sunderland Center Historic District
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Old Town Hall
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly along S. Main St.from Old Amherst Rd. to French's Ferry Rd., Sunderland, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 108 acres (44 ha) |
| Architect | Putnam, Karl Scott; Allen Bros. |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000157 |
| Added to NRHP | March 15, 2002 |
The Sunderland Center Historic District is a special area in the town of Sunderland, Massachusetts. It's like a time capsule showing how the town looked long ago. This district is located on the flat lands near the Connecticut River. It stretches along Main Street and includes the Sunderland Bridge that crosses the river. Many buildings here still follow the original town plan from 1714! This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 because of its important history and old buildings.
Exploring Sunderland's Historic Center
The Sunderland Center Historic District covers about 108 acres. It runs along North and South Main Street, which is also Massachusetts Route 47. The district starts near Old Amherst Road and goes to North Silver Lane. It also includes Bridge Street and the Sunderland Bridge.
Many of the buildings in this area are very old. You can see different styles of architecture. The most common style is Greek Revival. But there are also beautiful examples of Georgian and Federalist buildings. Some buildings are from the late 1800s and early 1900s too.
How Sunderland Began
The land where Sunderland is now was once home to Native American people. English settlers bought the land from them in the 1670s. One big purchase traded much of the land for 80 fathoms of wampum. A fathom is about six feet, and wampum were beads made from shells.
The first settlement was called Swampfield. But it was left empty during King Philip's War (1675–1678). This was a big conflict between Native Americans and English colonists.
The Town's Layout
Sunderland was settled again in 1714. That's when Main Street was first planned. It was built along an old Native American trail. The street was made very wide, about eight rods. A rod is a unit of length, about 16.5 feet.
Land was set aside for settlers to build their homes. Each piece of land was about fourteen rods wide. The town also set aside land for a cemetery. There was also common land for everyone to use and a special spot for a minister. This original plan is still clear today in how the town center is divided. Even though many lots have been split, you can still see the old layout.
