Hatfield Center Historic District
Why it's listed
Hatfield Center is a farming village on the west bank of the Connecticut River in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. Its plan dates to surveys and allotments of the 1660s: long, narrow homelots with houses and barns close to Main Street, backed by open tilled fields, pasture and hayfields. The village was set away from the riverbank to limit flood damage and was once protected by a stockade. Buildings in the district include Georgian farmhouses from about 1740, the Greek Revival Congregational Church of 1849, a Victorian Gothic school of 1871, Dickinson Memorial Hall of 1894 and the Colonial Revival Memorial Town Hall of 1930. A burying ground established in 1669 holds some of the region's finest late 17th- to mid-19th-century gravestones. The district was listed for its agricultural history, its architecture, its early settlement and its well-preserved community plan, with a period of significance from 1669 to 1944.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Hatfield Center is a well-preserved 17th-century linear village whose long homelots, streetside houses and surrounding open fields reflect continuous farming since the 1660s. It is significant for agriculture, architecture, community planning and development, and exploration/settlement, and for events such as the 1677 attack, Shays' Rebellion and the introduction of tobacco in 1856.
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 94000737, listed July 27, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by the Connecticut and Mill Rivers and Day Ave., Hatfield |
|---|---|
| County | Hampshire County |
| Listed | July 27, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000737 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1669-1944 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic farming, residential, civic, religious and cemetery uses continue; the former Lutheran Church has been converted to a residence. |
| Acreage | 465 |
| Coordinates | 42.36445, -72.59722 (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 94000737.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5681369
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.