{"nrhp_refnum":"11000022","name":"Athol High School","other_names":["Athol Regional Junior High School"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"494 School St","address_restricted":false,"city":"Athol","county":"Worcester County","state":"MA","lat":42.596509669000056,"lon":-72.21995004399997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2011-02-18","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Education"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Athol High School is a two-story, H-plan red brick school at 494 School Street in Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts, about a half mile from the town center. It combines two 1915 wings with a central block and gymnasium added in 1937.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is significant for its role in Athol's public education and as an example of Art Deco school architecture. The 1937 central section and additions were designed by J. Williams Beal and Sons, and the 1915 wings were designed by Funk and Wilcox. The building retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship and feeling.","narrative":"Athol High School is a flat-roofed, H-plan brick building on a slight rise along School Street, south of the Millers River and about half a mile from downtown Athol. Its two side wings date to 1915 and were once attached to an 1892 school, which was demolished in 1937 to make way for a new central block and a rear gymnasium. The 1937 work, designed by J. Williams Beal and Sons and built by Leland B. Taylor, gave the whole building an Art Deco character, with limestone trim, a stepped parapet, carved geometric floral motifs and panels of black and blue brick. Inside, central corridors serve classrooms on two floors above a raised basement, and a two-story gymnasium and auditorium occupies the northeast corner. A low granite wall and concrete-tie retaining walls also contribute. The school is recognized for its role in local education and for its architecture, with a period of significance of 1915 to 1960. It is currently vacant, and reuse as apartments is proposed.","period_of_significance":"1915-1960","architect_builder":"Funk and Wilcox (1915); J. Williams Beal and Sons (1937); Leland B. Taylor, builder (1937)","architectural_style":"Art Deco","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; the text also describes plans to reuse the building, including the gymnasium space, for apartments.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:10:51.737565-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/28/7975/63797528/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/11000022.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/11000022/e2f4e4a9f2-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/11000022/e2f4e4a9f2-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"User:Magicpiano","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AtholMA_OldHighSchool.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">User:Magicpiano</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AtholMA_OldHighSchool.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63797528","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Athol_High_School","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16896113"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/worcester-county/athol-high-school-11000022/"}