Northampton Gas Light Company Building - Northampton Downtown Historic District - Northampton, MA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 19.007 W 072° 37.942
18T E 695111 N 4687664
Northampton Gas Light Company Building is a gas plant and gas holder located at 244 Main Street in Northampton, MA.
Waymark Code: WMPHBH
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 09/01/2015
Views: 1
The Northampton Gas Light Company was organized April 18, 1855. They constructed the gas works building in 1856 in two sections in the Victorian Eclectic style. The one story, round, gas holder is a brick building with a tall, circular slate roof and a round cupola. Attached to the gas holder by a short connector.
The walls of the gas holder are have story-high bays that are slightly recessed. Windows are centered on the bays.The gas plant has irregularly placed, arched windows on it south side and two stories of three bays on its west side.
This two section gas works plant is rare surviving industrial building of an era when coal gas was manufactured and widely used. A plaque on the gas holder is inscribed:
THE GASWORKS
BUILT IN 1856 AS A GAS HOLDER AND GAS
PROCESSING FACILITY FOR THE CITY OF
NORTHAMPTON - RESTORED IN 1986 BY
ROBERT G. CURRAN, CIVIL ENGINEER AND
NATIVE OF NORTHAMPTON. IT IS ONE OF
SEVEN SUCH EXISTING STRUCTURES IN THE
U.S. AND ITS RESTORATION HAS BROUGHT
STATEWIDE RECOGNITION.
THE GASWORKS WAS HIS LAST AND MOST CHERISHED PROJECT.
THIS PLAQUE IS PLACED IN THE MEMORY OF
ROBERT G. CURRAN
(1933 - 1987)
BY HIS FRIENDS