The Agawam Center Historic District is a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

that encompasses part of the historic center of

Agawam, Massachusetts Agawam is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,692 at the 2020 census. Agawam sits on the western side of the Connecticut River, directly across from Springfield, Massachusetts ...

. The district covers most of the buildings along Elm Street and Main Street radiating out from their intersection in both directions. The district is predominantly residential, although it does contain many commercial, industrial, and civic buildings. Many of the buildings in the district stand at a uniform setback from the street, giving the district a coherent feel. Agawam's center began to take shape in the early years of the 18th century. By 1750 the town center lay on one of the main roads connecting

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

, and the area became a significant rest stop along the way. It received significant development in the 1790s when the road was more formally laid out, private homes began to join the taverns, and what is now Elm Street connected the village to points east and west. By 1831 the center also had churches, a school, and a cemetery. The oldest building in the district is a tavern dating to 1750, and there are about a dozen houses that date to the 1790s. As the 19th century progressed the village continued to grow, yet retained some rural character, with only low levels of industrialization. The arrival of streetcars connecting the village to the city of

Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

saw the transformation of the village into one with a more suburban feel. Agawam was not formally incorporated until 1855, and it is during this time that the village assumed its role as the civic center of the town. The district features a variety of architectural styles, from Georgian and Federal buildings of the early period to mid-20th century ranch housing. The district was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2001.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Historic districts in Hampden County, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Hampden County, Massachusetts Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts

See also

References