West Gardner Square Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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West Gardner Square Historic District
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Central Street
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Downtown Gardner, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 340 acres (140 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Greek Revival, Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003185 |
| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1985 |
The West Gardner Square Historic District is a special area in downtown Gardner, Massachusetts. It includes many old buildings that were once used for businesses, government, and factories. This area grew a lot starting in the early 1800s. Today, you can see many buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s. This historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
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What is the West Gardner Square Historic District?
This historic district covers most of the old government, business, and factory buildings in downtown Gardner. It is centered around a big five-way intersection. This is where Vernon, Parker, Central, Main, and West Lynde Streets meet.
How big are the buildings?
Most of the business and government buildings are one to four stories tall. The old factory buildings, called mill complexes, can be up to six stories high. There are only a few wooden houses in this area. These houses are usually older than the late 1800s, when most of the district was built.
What important buildings are in the district?
The district includes Gardner's main government buildings. These are the town hall, the public library, and the post office. Some buildings in the district are so important that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places by themselves. These include the Garbose Building, the Gardner News Building, the Lake Street Fire Station, and the Heywood-Wakefield Company Complex.
History of Gardner's Downtown Area
The town of Gardner was officially created in 1785. It was formed from parts of nearby towns. The first town center was northeast of where the downtown is now.
How did Gardner become a furniture town?
In the early 1800s, Gardner started to become a center for making furniture. They especially made many chairs. Factories used water from local streams to power their machines. By the 1840s, Gardner was known for making chairs. About 350 people worked in the chair-making business.
How did the downtown area grow?
As the factories grew, the town's main center moved closer to the industrial area. The arrival of railroads helped the town grow even more. Trains came in 1847 and 1871. This made it easier to bring materials in and send finished chairs out.
