Woodbridge Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Woodbridge Street in South Hadley has been the main road to Amherst since colonial times, and this half-mile residential district preserves much of its early character. Twenty-eight structures line the street, including eight from the 18th century, among them the Second Parsonage of about 1742, the 1787 Deacon Josiah White House, the 1788 Sycamores and the Federal-style Stebbins/Condit House of about 1795. White clapboard, similar scale and generous setbacks give the street a unified look. Early families, notably the Whites and the Woodbridges, shaped the settlement, which remained agricultural through the 19th century. In the 1920s silk manufacturer Joseph A. Skinner bought much of the street, hired architect Allen H. Cox to restore several houses, and moved the Prescott Church and Schoolhouse from a town cleared for the Quabbin Reservoir, creating a small village green. These layers of settlement, architecture and preservation give the district its significance.
Significance in brief: The street was the focal point of early South Hadley development and is tied to prominent early families such as the Whites and Woodbridges. It has well-preserved high-style 18th-century houses. It also reflects early 20th-century preservation work by Joseph A. Skinner, who restored houses and moved the Prescott Church and Schoolhouse here.
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 83003987, listed November 14, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3 and 7 Silver St., 25-82 Woodbridge St., South Hadley |
|---|---|
| County | Hampshire County |
| Listed | November 14, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003987 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Multiple; Allen H. Cox (architect for Joseph A. Skinner's 1920s restorations) |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian houses, with vernacular New England farmhouses |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as occupied; used as private residences and a museum (Skinner Museum), with condition rated excellent to good. |
| Acreage | 66 |
| Coordinates | 42.26462, -72.57249 (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 83003987.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8032424
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.