{"nrhp_refnum":"00000416","name":"Goodwin Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Woodside Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Amherst","county":"Hampshire County","state":"MA","lat":42.37093322800007,"lon":-72.52247676099995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2000-04-28","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Black","Religion"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A small one-story Craftsman-style Bungalow church, about 25' x 50', built in 1910 on a wooded lot off Woodside Avenue in Amherst, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It houses the town's African Methodist Episcopal Zion congregation.","why_significant":"The church has been the place of worship for Amherst's Black community since its dedication in 1910, making it a local landmark and spiritual center (Criterion A). It also embodies early 20th century Craftsman design with exposed rafter ends, a hipped roof and wood-shingled walls, and is a well-preserved example of simple religious vernacular architecture (Criterion C).","narrative":"Set at the end of a narrow, tree-lined lane off Woodside Avenue in Amherst, this small Craftsman-style Bungalow church was completed in 1910 for the town's African Methodist Episcopal Zion congregation. The one-story building measures about 25 by 50 feet and has a hipped roof with deep eaves, exposed rafter ends, wood-shingled walls and a granite rubble foundation. A projecting gabled vestibule, topped with a Latin cross, marks the east-facing entrance, and a stained glass window commemorates parishioner Pearl Hawkins. The church replaced an 1869 chapel built near Amherst College, which was demolished around 1917. Funds for the new building came from congregation members, townspeople and college faculty, and local resident Moses Goodwin, for whose family it is named, owned the land during construction. The building has served Amherst's Black community for decades and retains much of its original fabric. Its plain design contrasts with the spires, stone towers and large windows of other local churches, which adds to its distinction.","period_of_significance":"1910-1950","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Bungalow/Craftsman","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Described as well maintained and in good condition, with very few alterations since 1910; still used as a religious facility.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:05.073472-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/55/7954/63795455/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/00000416.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/00000416/bc83e5750b-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/00000416/bc83e5750b-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"DyanFrench","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goodwin_Church.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">DyanFrench</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goodwin_Church.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63795455","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodwin_Memorial_African_Methodist_Episcopal_Zion_Church","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5583683"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/hampshire-county/goodwin-memorial-african-methodist-episcopal-zion-church-00000416/"}