The Jones Block is a historic commercial building at 49–53 Park Street in
Adams, Massachusetts
Adams is a town in northern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,166 at the 2020 census.
History
Nathan Jones purchased the township of ...
. Built about 1895, it is one of a small number of surviving commercial buildings from the town's most rapid period of growth. It was added to 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 1982.
Description and history
The Jones Block is located in the town center of Adams, on the east side of Park Street north of town hall. It is a three-story brick structure, topped by a flat roof, with a decorative band and dentil molding at the roof line. The ground floor consists of two storefronts, framed by cast iron paneled columns, on either side of a central building entrance. Second and third floor windows are set in round-arch openings, those on the second story with sandstone keystones. It is one of the four brick buildings on Park Street, along with the
P. J. Barrett Block,
Armory Block
The Armory Block is a historic commercial building at 39-45 Park Street in Adams, Massachusetts. Built in 1894-95, it is a fine example of Renaissance Revival architecture, and one of the town's most architecturally sophisticated commercial build ...
, and the
Mausert Block.
The block was built in 1895 for Albert Jones, a clerk in a local clothing retailer. Originally two stories in height, it housed that store on the ground floor, and the local Hibernian Hall on the second floor. The third floor was added in the early 20th century, using matching materials and styling to the original construction, and replicating its original cornice. The styling and placement of the third floor windows suggest that it was also used as a meeting space; it is not known whether Jones had planned for the expansion when the structure was originally built.
[
The building has been vacant for over 20 years since 1996, when a devastating fire on the second and third floor almost resulted in demolition of the building. Attempts by numerous developers to renovate the building have not been successful.]
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
Buildings and structures in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Adams, Massachusetts