The Southampton Center Historic District encompasses the densely built center of the otherwise predominantly rural town of

Southampton, Massachusetts Southampton () is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It was established first as a district of Northampton in 1732. It was incorporated in 1775. The name Southampton was given to it during its first town meeting in 1773. It ...

. The district extends from Fomer Road in the south, along High Street and College Highway (

Massachusetts Route 10 Massachusetts Route 10 is a north–south state highway that runs from the Connecticut state line at Southwick to the New Hampshire state line at Northfield. Originally part of New England Route 10 from 1922 to 1927, it continues to the south a ...

) to Maple Street, and includes a line of houses along East Street from College to Elm. This area is the historic heart of the town, being first laid out in the 1730s. The district includes, in addition to a number of 18th- and 19th-century residences, the town's only church, the town hall, and the old public library. 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 1991.

Description and history

The area that is now Southampton was originally incorporated as part of

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; ...

1654, but was not formally settled until 1730. It was separately incorporated in 1775. The plan for the town center was drawn in 1730, and has been relatively unchanged since then, with a broadly spaced grid of roads between College Highway and High Street. The town grew significantly after 1790, resulting in a range of high-quality Federal period residences, and the present Congregational Church, built in 1788 on or near the site of the town's first

colonial meeting house A colonial meeting house was a meeting house used by communities in colonial New England. Built using tax money, the colonial meeting house was the focal point of the community where the town's residents could discuss local issues, conduct reli ...

. In addition to civic functions, the center served as the economic hub of the largely agrarian community. The town's economy suffered in the late 19th century, its agriculture from competition with larger midwestern farms, and its industry from the cooption of its waterways for use as public water supplies. There has been little significant development in the center since the early 20th century.

References

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

Description and history

See also

References