Carlton House Block
Why it's listed
Located at 9-13 Hampden Street in downtown Springfield, this brick commercial row building is six bays long and three stories tall under a flat roof. It was built in 1874-75 for William Patton, who built or acquired all the blocks along the south side of Hampden Street in the 1870s and 1880s. It replaced the Carlton House, a hotel near the railroad depot, and kept that name. The building was erected for lease to Cutler, McIntosh & Co., wholesale boot and shoe jobbers, who stayed until 1897. Its original Italianate character shows in stilted arches, stone window hoods and two-over-two sash on the upper floors. In the early twentieth century a cast stone parapet and large plate glass storefronts under a broad cast stone entablature were added in a well-integrated way. The block was listed for its role in downtown Springfield's commercial growth and as an example of an 1870s building updated for new tenants.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the block is significant for its role in developing downtown Springfield as a commercial and industrial center. It is also a well-designed 1870s block updated in the early twentieth century. It reflects a typical local pattern of a building leased to a small industrial firm, then remodeled for new tenants during the city's prosperous years.
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 83000741, listed February 24, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 9-13 Hampden St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | February 24, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000741 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built for original owner William Patton |
| Architectural style | Italianate Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is commercial; original use was manufacturing. Parapet and storefronts were altered in the early twentieth century. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.10382, -72.59398 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 83000741.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5043022
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.