Ingraham, Robert C., School
Also known as: Ingraham Integrated Preschool
Why it's listed
Robert C. Ingraham School is a three-story, red-brick Romanesque Revival building occupying a full city block at 80 Rivet Street in New Bedford's south end. Designed by local architect Samuel C. Hunt, it opened in September 1901 with twelve classrooms and an assembly hall. It was built to relieve overcrowding as textile mills, including the Potomska Mill, drew large numbers of immigrant workers and their families to the neighborhood. Its granite foundation, segmental-arched windows, dogtooth brick beltcourses, corbelled cornices and slate roof remain central features, although the windows and doors have been replaced. The school served as an elementary school until 1977, was used for storage until 1992, and then operated as a preschool until 2006. It is now vacant, with redevelopment plans that include affordable housing. It was listed for its local significance in architecture and in the community's educational and social development, with a period of significance from 1900 to 1960.
Significance in brief: The school is argued to be significant under Criteria A and C at the local level. It was part of a community development effort to serve the educational needs of a rapidly growing immigrant mill population in New Bedford's south end. It is also a prime example of early 20th-century public school architecture and one of five New Bedford schools designed by Hunt.
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 10000056, listed March 2, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 80 Rivet St., New Bedford |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | March 2, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000056 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1960 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel C. Hunt |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant with plans for mixed-use redevelopment including affordable housing, a community room and commercial programming space; the building is described as in sound condition. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 43.42259, -70.97812 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 10000056.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16899391
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.