Middleborough Center Historic District

Middleborough Center is a compact historic district of about 500 buildings in southeastern Massachusetts, on the Nemasket River. It grows out of Four Corners, the intersection of Centre, Wareham, North and South Main Streets, which has long been the town's commercial node. Centre and Wareham Streets carry shops and light industry, while North and South Main Streets and the side streets are residential and institutional. Most buildings are wood-frame, one-and-a-half to three stories, and date from 1850 to 1920, the period of the center's greatest growth, though a few are older or as late as 1948. The concentration of wooden commercial buildings is singled out as significant. Notable landmarks include the Georgian Revival Post Office of 1931-33 and the granite Church of Our Saviour of 1897, designed by Cram, Wentworth & Goodhue. A surviving freight station recalls the rail connections that supported local industry and the cranberry trade. Tree-lined streets and large houses on South Main Street add to its character.