Upper Main Street Historic District (Hatfield, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Upper Main Street Historic District
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A house on upper Main Street
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St. from 83 Main to Cow Bridge, 1-44 King St. and 6-70 North St. Hatfield, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 532 acres (215 ha) |
| Architect | Marsh, Hiram; Dickinson, Caleb Cooley |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Mid 19th Century Revival, Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 94000735 |
| Added to NRHP | July 22, 1994 |
The Upper Main Street Historic District is a special area in northeastern Hatfield, Massachusetts. It's called a historic district because it has many old homes and buildings that show how the area used to be. This part of Hatfield is different from the older Hatfield Center Historic District, which was planned way back in colonial times.
Upper Main Street grew mostly between 1860 and 1939. It became a small village because it was close to a ferry landing on the Connecticut River. The district covers a shape like a triangle, including parts of Main Street, King Street, and North Street. You can see many beautiful houses here, built in styles like Colonial Revival, Queen Anne, and bungalow. This historic area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
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Exploring Upper Main Street's History
The town of Hatfield was first planned in 1661. Back then, houses were built on narrow lots facing the main road. Large farming areas surrounded the village. The southern part of the Upper Main Street district still shows this original town plan. You can see it in how the houses are placed and how the land around them is used.
How the Area Grew
Unlike the very old town center, Upper Main Street developed later. It became a busy place because of the nearby ferry. This ferry helped people and goods cross the Connecticut River. As more people moved here, new homes and buildings were constructed. This created the unique look of the district we see today.
Old Houses and Buildings
The district is mostly made up of homes. Many of these houses were built in popular styles from the late 1800s and early 1900s. These include the elegant Colonial Revival, the detailed Queen Anne, and the cozy bungalow styles. The oldest house in the district is the Jeremiah Bardwell House at 108 Main Street. It was built around 1790, making it over 230 years old!
Farming Life in the Past
Besides the homes, the district also has old farm buildings. These buildings show how important farming was to the area's history. You can still see several tobacco barns here. These barns remind us that tobacco was a very important crop in Hatfield in the 1800s. It helped the town become rich. There are also old barns for livestock and horses. One of these livestock barns dates back to about 1800.
