Springfield Street Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Valentine School
Why it's listed
Springfield Street Historic District occupies a hill above the Chicopee River and the mill area of Chicopee Center, Massachusetts. It holds about 200 principal buildings, many outbuildings, four churches and Maple Grove Cemetery, with most construction dating from 1830 to 1930. Development began after industrialists from Boston harnessed the river's water power in the 1830s. Small Greek Revival houses were built on the lower, northern streets for mill overseers, machinists and tradespeople. Larger Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival homes followed on the upper slope for wealthier residents. The pattern moves from tight, urban streets toward spacious, suburban lots, though modest and grand houses often stand close together. Builder Charles McClallan shaped much of the area, including the Gilmore carriage shops, later used by a bronze foundry. The district is valued as a record of Chicopee's industrial growth. Many large houses remain well preserved, while vernacular buildings have often been altered by siding and additions.
Significance in brief: The district shows how Chicopee grew as an industrial city in the 19th century, with modest workers' houses standing near the mansions of industrialists, merchants and professionals. It has a wide range of architectural styles, with Greek Revival predominating, and four churches that grew with their parishes. It is also associated with local builders and with industrial families such as the Mosmans, noted for bronze casting.
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 90002217, listed January 25, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Springfield St., Gaylord St. and Fairview Ave., Chicopee |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | January 25, 1991 |
| Reference number | 90002217 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Charles McClallan (builder of many residential and industrial buildings in the district) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival predominant; also Federal, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Stick, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival, Tudor Revival and others |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Community Planning and Development, Art, Education, European, Politics/Government, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | About a quarter of primary structures have been altered enough to be non-contributing; larger high-style homes are generally well preserved, while many vernacular buildings have been altered by synthetic siding and additions. |
| Acreage | 62 |
| Coordinates | 42.14425, -72.60348 (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 90002217.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7581058
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.