Day, Josiah, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1754 and dated by a brick set in its east wall, the Josiah Day House at 70 Park Street in West Springfield is a two-story brick saltbox facing the town common. Its three-bay facade has 12/8 sash windows, a central recessed doorway and a clustered chimney, and a wooden ell at the rear was later dated to the early nineteenth century. Inside, five rooms each have a fireplace and at least one wall of decorative paneling or sheathing, along with original hinges, shutters and some furniture. Josiah Day, grandson of one of the town's first settlers, built the house, and his family lived there for more than 150 years. The building is regarded as one of the oldest unaltered brick saltboxes in the country, the oldest house in West Springfield and the oldest brick house in Hampden County. Today it is a museum with period rooms and historical exhibits used for local education.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the oldest unaltered brick saltboxes in the country, the oldest house in West Springfield and the oldest brick house in Hampden County. It retains most of its original interior, hardware and furnishings. It is also tied to the Day family, early settlers who helped lead the town's separation from Springfield, and it serves as an educational resource.
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 75000265, listed April 16, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 70 Park St., West Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | April 16, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000265 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architect / builder | Josiah Day |
| Architectural style | Mid-eighteenth century New England vernacular (brick saltbox) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a house museum, with three rooms furnished for the period and two used for historical exhibits; the ell provides caretaker's quarters. Condition listed as excellent. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 42.10703, -72.61829 (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 75000265.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6290462
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.