The Capt. Charles Leonard House is a historic house at 663 Main Street in

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 ...

. Built in 1805, it is described as Agawam's finest

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of de ...

building, and is attributed to architect Asher Benjamin. It is now owned by a local nonprofit organization, which uses the house to stage community events. It is open for tours, and is available for rental. The house 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 1975.

Description and history

The Captain Charles Leonard House is located in the village center of Agawam, on the east side of Main Street (

Massachusetts Route 159 Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous state in the New England region of the ...

), between School and Albert Streets. It is a two-story wood-frame structure, with a hip roof, two interior brick chimneys, and a clapboarded exterior. Its corners have pilasters, which rise to an entablature and modillioned cornice. The main facade is five bays wide, with the center bay framed by two-story round columns, rising to a peaked gable. The main entrance is in the center bay, with flanking sidelight windows and a half-round transom window. On the second floor above there is a

Palladian window Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

. On the interior, it has a standard center hall with staircase, with public rooms in front and service rooms in back. A two-story wing extends to the north, and a single story wing extends further from that ell. The house was built in 1805 for Captain Charles Leonard, a local militia leader who was known locally as "the farmer who went to

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

." Leonard operated an inn on the premises until his death in 1814. By the early 20th century it had been converted into boarding house, and was in significantly deteriorated condition when it was purchased by a local preservationist in 1938. It has since been fully restored, and is now operated as a community center, local history museum, and event venue.

References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Hampden County, Massachusetts Historic district contributing properties in Massachusetts Houses completed in 1805 Federal architecture in Massachusetts Agawam, Massachusetts

Description and history

See also

References