Springfield Street Historic District

Springfield Street Historic District occupies a hill above the Chicopee River and the mill area of Chicopee Center, Massachusetts. It holds about 200 principal buildings, many outbuildings, four churches and Maple Grove Cemetery, with most construction dating from 1830 to 1930. Development began after industrialists from Boston harnessed the river's water power in the 1830s. Small Greek Revival houses were built on the lower, northern streets for mill overseers, machinists and tradespeople. Larger Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival homes followed on the upper slope for wealthier residents. The pattern moves from tight, urban streets toward spacious, suburban lots, though modest and grand houses often stand close together. Builder Charles McClallan shaped much of the area, including the Gilmore carriage shops, later used by a bronze foundry. The district is valued as a record of Chicopee's industrial growth. Many large houses remain well preserved, while vernacular buildings have often been altered by siding and additions.