American Woolen Mill Housing District
Also known as: Market Street Tenements
Why it's listed
Nine wood-frame tenements on Market Street in South Lawrence make up this housing group, completed in 1909 for the American Woolen Company and designed by local architect James E. Allen. The three-story buildings are arranged symmetrically, each half mirroring the other, yet five different designs and angled placement give variety. Queen Anne and Colonial Revival details include pedimented entries, fluted pilasters, bay windows, twenty-five-pane upper sash, and bands of patterned shingles. The layout gave residents more light and air while keeping lot density high, and lawns, trees, shrubs and iron fencing once framed an inner court. The complex provided homes for the families of 36 company employees as part of a 1906-1910 expansion that added 142 residential units in South Lawrence. It is significant as an example of corporate paternalism and as a cohesive planned group. Allen later designed many homes in Shawsheen Village. These tenements remain the best preserved of the company's earlier housing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is an example of early twentieth-century corporate paternalism by one of Lawrence's major companies. Its careful overall plan also produced a cohesive group of buildings focused on a pleasant inner courtyard. It is described as the best preserved and most representative of the company's earlier housing phases.
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 82001990, listed April 8, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 300-328 Market St., Lawrence |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | April 8, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001990 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | James E. Allen |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne and Colonial Revival motifs |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Community Planning and Development, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as occupied rental units in deteriorated condition, showing deterioration and vandalism; 306-308 Market Street was closed after a recent fire that did not seriously damage the exterior. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.69989, -71.15729 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 82001990.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4745394
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.