Brick Block
Also known as: Post Office Block
Why it's listed
Standing on a corner lot in the heart of Chatham's small downtown, the Brick Block is an L-shaped, 2½-story Tudor Revival building completed in 1914. A group of local businessmen, the Chatham Associates, commissioned it to hold shops on the ground floor and apartments above, and it still serves that purpose. Early tenants included an ice cream parlor, a meat market and a billiard parlor, and the building took its historic name from the Chatham Post Office it once housed. Boston architect Harvey Bailey Alden designed it, and Worcester native Joseph Nickerson, a master mason who had competed in national bricklaying contests, was given a free hand with the brickwork. The result includes a deeply projecting slate roof on curved brackets, jerkinhead gables with stickwork, and varied bonding patterns, with freeform brick designs in the gables. Its size and masonry set it apart from the wood-frame buildings around it, making it a recognized local landmark and commercial anchor.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a unique and interesting example of masonry construction and an important local landmark. Its inventive brickwork, especially in the gables, was laid freehand by master mason Joseph Nickerson. It was also a major commercial building in a town of small wood-frame structures, and it originally housed the Chatham Post Office.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79000323, listed April 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St. and Chatham Bars Rd., Chatham |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | April 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000323 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914 |
| Architect / builder | Architect Harvey Baily Alden (Bailey in the text) of Boston; builder/master mason Joseph Nickerson; construction supervised by William Cox |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still serves its original purpose, with shops on the ground floor and apartments above; condition listed as good and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.67960, -69.95603 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79000323.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4965884
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.