The Chapin Block is a historic commercial building at 208-222 Hamilton Street in
Southbridge, Massachusetts
Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,740 at the 2020 census. Although Southbridge has a city form of government, it is legally known as the Town of Southbridge.
History
The area was in ...
. Built in 1888, it is the only Shingle style commercial building in Southbridge. It 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 ...
in 1989.
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Description and history
The Chapin Block is located in Globe Village, a predominantly residential area just north of Southbridge's downtown, occupying a narrow plot of land at the junction of Hamilton and Crane Streets. The building is set to advantage on the oddly-shaped narrow triangular lot, giving the building a flatiron
Flatiron or flat iron may refer to various things, often in the shape of a wedge:
Objects
*Clothes iron
* Hair iron
Places
* Flatiron Building, New York City, at the intersection of 5th & Broadway
**Flatiron District, New York City, named afte ...
appearance with a rounded point. It is a two-story wood-frame structure, with a small tower (that once held a clock) at the point were Hamilton and Crane Streets meet. It is finished in wooden shingles, and has a modillioned cornice. There are four storefronts on the front of the building (facing Hamilton Street), each with plate glass windows flanking recessed entries. This layout dates to the early 20th century. On the Crane Street side, the building's brick basement is exposed, providing a series of building entrances at that level. The first floor on that side is largely plain, while the second floor has a projecting balcony.[
The block was built in 1888 by Francis Chapin, a local bank officer and real estate developer, and provided local shops for the area residential neighborhood, and a meeting hall on the second floor. Early occupants of the retail spaces included a candy store, barber, tobacconist, and clothing store. It was sold by Chapin shortly after its construction to J. J. Delahanty, owner of a local furniture store; it remained in his family until 1972.]
See also
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References
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Commercial blocks on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Shingle Style architecture in Massachusetts
Commercial buildings completed in 1888
Buildings and structures in Southbridge, Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Southbridge, Massachusetts