Bicycle Club Building
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1891 at 264-270 Worthington Street in Springfield, this four-story brick building was constructed as the first permanent home of the Springfield Bicycle Club. Twenty-four feet wide, it shares an exterior wall with the neighboring Wells Block and faces Stearns Square. Its Romanesque Revival facade features a deep pressed metal cornice, basket-weave brickwork, a wide fourth-floor arch sheltering a porch, and a projecting wood bay on the second and third floors. The club, organized in 1881, helped popularize organized bicycle meets, and rider George M. Hendee later founded the company that made Indian motorcycles. The building housed a bowling alley, a Columbia bicycle dealer, a library and parlor, billiard and card rooms, and a gymnasium. Later it served fraternal groups, dance schools and offices. The upper floors remain largely original, though the storefront changed and the parapet was removed. It was recognized for its preserved design and its association with the club.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant as a well-preserved late 19th century design and as the first permanent home of the internationally known Springfield Bicycle Club. It meets criteria A and C. The club pioneered bicycle racing meets and counted champion rider George M. Hendee among its members.
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 83000738, listed February 24, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 264-270 Worthington St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | February 24, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000738 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is commercial; the first-floor storefront was heavily altered, and a restoration was carried out in 1981. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.10521, -72.59163 (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 83000738.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4903745
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.