Buildings Designed by William Fenno Pratt
Masonic Street Firehouse
For more information on the Firehouse:
http://www.mediaed.org/news/articles/firehouse
Firehouse History
Since 1872, the Masonic Street Firehouse has held a central place in Northampton’s history. William Fenno Pratt-a local architect responsible for Northampton’s unique architecture and known for his wide repertoire of designs, construction the Masonic Street Firehouse to provide a permanent home for the local fire company. Although the building has undergone alterations and enlargement since 1872, it has retained its distinctive features: two towers (one of which was used to dry the fire hoses) several large garage bays built to house the fire engines, and a patterned cornice that frame the front facade.
Working with Thomas Douglas, another local architect, MEF plans to renovate the Firehouse to preserve the building's history and meet the modern needs of the community. To fulfill both the local community's need for affordable and handicap-accessible community meeting spaces, and MEF's need for an in-house screening room, MEF will construct a multipurpose meeting room on the ground level that will be outfitted with cutting-edge technology for meeting, educational and multi-media screening purposes. This meeting room will also enable MEF to expand its educational services to include on-site violence prevention and media literacy trainings for educators, law enforcement, and social workers from the local region, and across the country. Ultimately, the renovation of this historic building will not only allow MEF to continue to grow and give back to its community, but it will also result in added vitality to the core of downtown Northampton.
The Evergreens also built by William Fenno Pratt
For more information on the
Evergreens:
Http://www.arps.org/amhersthistory/evergreens/index.htm
The architecture of the Evergreens is very interesting. You probably think the Evergreens claim to fame was being built next to the Emily Dickinson Homestead, and being called "The Other Dickinson House," but really, it is not. The real reason it is famous is because of the architect who made it and the style it was built in. The architect is William Fenno Pratt.
Woman’s Club (Leonard Mariner Hill’s house)
Hills House history
The Leonard Hills House was the home of the Leonard M. Hills, palm leaf hat manufacturer and leading citizen who built this Italian Villa Style home in the most prominent part of town. Hills started his first hat factory on East Main Street in 1829. Alice M. Hills later deeded the house to the Amherst Woman's Club in 1923.
Boys and Girls club (Henry Hills House)
For more information on the Henry
Hills House:
http://www.amherstcommon.com/walking_tour/hills.html
The Henry Hills House was the home of the son who, in addition to continuing his father's thriving hat business, was president of the American Button Company and the Roper Repeating Rifle Company. These two imposing Italianate villas were designed by William Fenno Pratt, a prominent Northampton architect.
Competition between the Hills and Burnett hat factories in Amherst led to a feud in 1897. The Hills Company sabotaged a banquet held by the Burnett Company in Springfield. They not only stole the ice cream for the banquet, they also stole the train to Springfield, and, when the Burnett workers finally arrived, launched a smoke bomb into the banquet hall.