Valentine School
Also known as: Grape Street School
Why it's listed
Built in 1898-1899 at Grape and Elm Streets in Chicopee, this two-story school of red brick and sandstone was designed by George P.D. Alderman, a Holyoke architect whose work included churches, mills, civic buildings and the main Holyoke Post Office. Its Renaissance Revival design features a symmetrical facade, a rusticated arch at the main entrance, a Palladian window above it, round-headed second-floor windows and a broad red metal entablature with scroll modillions. Inside, the original oak woodwork and glass-fronted hallway cabinets survive. First called the Grape Street School, it was renamed in 1908 for former principal William Valentine. It was once linked by an underground passage to the older Robinson School, demolished in the 1950s. The building served students until 1980 and is regarded as the city's finest example of its style, reflecting a period when Chicopee's population nearly doubled and it gained city status, municipal water and electric power.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an outstanding local example of Renaissance Revival architecture, designed by prominent Holyoke architect George P.D. Alderman and the city's finest representative of the style. It also reflects the civic spirit of Chicopee's late 19th-century growth, and it retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association.
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 83000774, listed September 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Grape and Elm Sts., Chicopee |
|---|---|
| County | Hampden County |
| Listed | September 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000774 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1898-99) |
| Architect / builder | George P.D. Alderman, Architect |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remained in use as a school until 1980; at the time of the form it is city-owned, unoccupied and vacant, in excellent structural condition and virtually unaltered. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Springfield Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.14629, -72.60290 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 83000774.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14715899
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.