McElwain, William H., School
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 on Main Street in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, the McElwain School is a two-story Classical Revival schoolhouse of brick over a raised cast-stone basement. Its symmetrical five-bay front has three projecting central bays, segmental-arched entry porches, a cast-stone cornice and patterned brick panels, including basket-weave work studded with gray flare headers. The Boston firm of Loring and Phipps designed it, preparing a proposal before being formally hired. The school answered severe overcrowding reported by the School Committee in 1911. In March 1912 Town Meeting funded construction and accepted a land donation from James Franklin McElwain and Mary Barton McElwain, given in memory of his brother William H. McElwain. Though its windows and doors have been replaced and its parapet altered, the building keeps its original footprint and key features. It is considered the best-preserved Loring and Phipps school identified in Massachusetts. The school has been vacant since 1997, and a deteriorated modular classroom stands behind it.
Significance in brief: The school was built after a 1911-1912 town effort to relieve overcrowded schools, on land donated in memory of William H. McElwain. It is described as the best-preserved Loring and Phipps school identified to date in Massachusetts, retaining its original footprint and character-defining features. It is also a well-preserved example of an early 20th-century public school in the Classical Revival style.
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 12001170, listed January 14, 2013. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 250 Main St., Bridgewater |
|---|---|
| County | Plymouth County |
| Listed | January 14, 2013 |
| Reference number | 12001170 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Loring and Phipps, Architects, of Boston (George Loring and Sanford Phipps) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since 1997; a noncontributing 1980s modular classroom building and a deteriorating parking area share the site. The roof was replaced in 2002 and is in very good condition. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 41.99813, -70.98112 (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 12001170.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16903477
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.