Taunton Green Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Taunton Green Historic District
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Taunton Green, looking east toward Main Street
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Taunton, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | 1830 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Late Victorian |
| MPS | Taunton MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85000547 |
| Added to NRHP | March 1, 1985 |
The Taunton Green Historic District is a special area in Taunton, Massachusetts. It's the old downtown business center from the 1800s. This district is built around the town green, which was first created in the 1740s. Today, the green is where several important roads meet. This historic area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
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A Look Back at Taunton Green
The first business area in Taunton was actually a bit southeast of where it is now. This was near where the Taunton and Mill Rivers meet. In the 1700s, early businesses like sawmills and gristmills started along the Mill River.
The Taunton Green itself was given to the town in 1743. It was used as a training ground for local soldiers. An early meetinghouse was also built there. The green was originally very large, but it has become smaller over time as buildings were built around it.
The Green's Role in History
Taunton Green has always been a gathering spot. Soldiers would meet here before heading off to war. Today, you can see monuments on the Green that honor soldiers from many different wars. These monuments remember the local people who served.
A famous event happened on the Green on October 21, 1774. People from Taunton gathered to raise the Taunton Flag. This flag had a special message: "Liberty and Union." They put the flag on a tall "liberty pole" to show they were standing up to King George III. This historic flag still flies on the Green today.
In 1859, a big fire destroyed many buildings east of the green. After this, many new brick buildings were constructed in the area.
Since 1914, the Green has been famous for its yearly holiday light display. This display brings many visitors to the city. Because of this, Taunton is often called "The Christmas City."
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What You Can See at Taunton Green
The historic district is centered around the green, which is shaped like a square. It includes most of the buildings that face the green on the nearby streets. The Bristol County Courthouse Complex is on the north side of the green, but it is not part of this historic district. The district also stretches a short distance along Broadway to the north and Main Street to the east.
As mentioned, monuments on the Green honor soldiers from different wars. One of these is a statue called The Hiker. This statue is one of fifty copies made by an artist named Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson. It honors American soldiers who fought in the Spanish–American War, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Philippine–American War. The statue was made by the Gorham Manufacturing Company in nearby Providence, Rhode Island.
Notable Buildings in the District
Many interesting buildings are part of the Taunton Green Historic District. These include:
- Taunton Green itself, which is a historic town common.
- The J.R. Tallman & Co building, built in 1913.
- The Crocker Building, which dates back to 1898.
- The Boys & Girls Club of Taunton building, constructed in 1913.
- A building at 43 Taunton Green, first built in 1831, with a new front added in 1893.
- The Dunbar Block, built around 1830.
- The Union Block, from 1860.
- The Bank Blocks, built around 1855.
- The Taylor Building, from 1889.
- The Jones Block, built in 1874.
- The Donovan Building, from around 1900.
One building in the district, the United States Post Office, also has its own separate listing on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in 1932.
