Lenox High School
Also known as: Cameron, Marguerite E., Elementary School; Lenox Elementary School
Why it's listed
Lenox High School is a red brick school on a terraced hill above Housatonic Street, built in 1908-1909 and designed by Springfield architect Jonathan William Donohue. Its design mixes Colonial Revival forms with Renaissance Revival detail, including terra cotta ornament, buff brick quoins, a slate gable roof and an open wooden cupola with Ionic colonettes. A rear addition of 1948 by architect Morris W. Maloney added a gymnasium, science laboratory and vocational room. The school educated local students for 89 years, until grades 7 to 12 moved to a new high school in 1966, after which the building housed elementary grades. It is notable for its role in the town's educational history and as an unusual work by Donohue, who mostly designed for the Catholic diocese. In 2002 it was converted to assisted living, with the main corridor, wainscoting, stairs and entrance vestibule preserved.
Significance in brief: The building served Lenox students for 89 years and reflects changing educational theory and programming (Criterion A). It is also a rare early work by architect J.W. Donohue, one of only two known buildings by him not commissioned by the Springfield Roman Catholic Diocese (Criterion C). It retains integrity of design, materials and workmanship.
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 04000903, listed August 25, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 109 Housatonic St., Lenox |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | August 25, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000903 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1908-1954 |
| Architect / builder | Donohue, Johnathan William |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival; Italian Renaissance |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted in 2002 to an assisted living residence, with the original corridor and classroom layout largely retained. |
| Acreage | 3.9 |
| Within district | Lenox Village Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.35644, -73.28659 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 04000903.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6523168
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.