Gunn and Hubbard Blocks
Why it's listed
Two adjoining three-story brick buildings with pitched roofs stand at the corner of State and Walnut Streets in Springfield, directly across from the Springfield Armory. The Gunn Block was built around 1830 for Elisha Gunn's trade in West Indies goods such as coffee, rum, molasses, sugar and spices. Asahel Hubbard, an inspector of arms at the Armory, had the Hubbard Block built around 1835 as an investment. Between 1820 and 1840 the surrounding Hill area rivaled Main Street as a commercial center, helped by the Armory and by stage traffic on Boston Road. The railroad's arrival in 1839 shifted commerce downtown. Gunn's Hall on the second floor hosted Masonic and Armory worker meetings, including 1856 gatherings that voted to form a separate town called Delano. The blocks keep brownstone lintels and sills and intact upper floors, and they are among only three early nineteenth-century masonry blocks left in the city. Today they hold a tavern, small stores and apartments.
Significance in brief: The blocks retain integrity of location, design and materials. They are significant as the center of commerce for the Hill area of Springfield and as one of only three early nineteenth-century masonry blocks remaining in the city. They also reflect the rivalry between the Hill and the Main Street commercial area, including a 1856 effort to form a separate town called Delano.
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 80000474, listed December 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 463-477 State St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | December 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000474 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1830-35 |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Presently occupied by a tavern, small stores and residents; ground floors altered by later storefronts, upper stories largely intact. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.10761, -72.57727 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 80000474.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715502
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.