Category Archives: Places

69 Church St., Lloyd H. Cloyd Blacksmith Business – c.1880

69 Church St

 

Information from Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This building has two stories, an asphalt roof and has been altered. It is a wood frame, shed roof with wood clapboard siding, a sliding hay door intact, full front porch and square posts & angled braces.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

1893 Sanborn Map depicts 2-story bldg labeled “Bl. Sm. [Black Smith] & Wagon Shop;” “Carriage Repair & Bl. Sm.[Black Smith]” on 1911 Sanborn Map.

See Form No. LEN.65 (67 Church Street) for additional Architectural Description and Historical Narrative information.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

 

1893 Sanborn Map, 1911 Sanborn Map

Lenox Assessor’s database 2012

67 Church St., Levi Glezen House – c.1860

67 Church St., Levi Glezen House - c. 1860
67 Church St., Levi Glezen House – c. 1860

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Gothic Vernacular style building has two stories, an asphalt shingle roof and has been altered. It is a 3-bay center passage, wood frame building with wood clapboard siding. Some 2-over-2 windows are still intact on the 2nd floor rear ell.

Not depicted on 1854 Clark Map; 1st depicted on 1876 Beers Map (without rear ell); 1893 Sanborn Map depicts the large rear ell.

This is a typical example of an “I-house”, a two-story version of the basic hall-and-parlor house plan built throughout the nineteenth century. These houses, which started off two rooms wide and one room deep with a central entrance hall, were usually expanded by the addition of a rear wing, as this one was, and by a front porch (in this case the original 19th century porch has been removed). A house of this style could have been built at almost any time in the nineteenth century. The 2/2 sash windows suggest a date after mid-century, or that the windows have been replaced.

Vernacular houses of this type must have once been plentiful in Lenox, but few have survived to the present. The blacksmith shop located in the large barn at the rear of the house makes this a particularly interesting property.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

This house stands on land that was originally part if the Whitlock Farm, which was sold off in building lots in the early nineteenth century. A house was built on this site between 1813 and 1823, and may have been the residence of Levi Glezen, principal of Lenox Academy. The property was owned by Charles Sedgwick from 1836 until 1862, during which time the original house was altered, or else demolished and a new house built. In 1862 the house was purchased by the Lenox Iron Works, which at the time owned much of the property between Church and Main Streets.

In 1872 the house was sold again, this time to Lloyd H. Cloyd, who built a large barn in back of the house and started a blacksmith business on the premises. This barn was renovated along with the house in 1979. It used to house a blacksmith museum, which featured tools and items found in the barn along with a hand-operated elevator built in the early 1900‘s to move carriages from one floor to another.

  • Before 1769    land owned by Elizar Dickinson (7,139)
  •  1769    John Whitlock – part of Whitcomb Farm willed to son John Whitlock
  •   1809    Peter VanDerburg 150 acres for $4,000.00 (47,77)
  •   1813    Levi Glezen     (52,410) Built house
  •   1815    Elizah Northrop (56,328)
  •   1818    Levi Grezen was 1st principal of Lenox Academy
  •   1823    Chester Burrows (first mention of house in deed)
  •    1826    John B. Perry
  •    1829    Lemuel Parsons
  •    1829    Edward Burrall
  •    1836    Charles Sedgwick
  •     1838    John Goodrich 91,563
  •     1838    George Tucker Attorney-at-Law
  •     1862    Lenox Iron Works
  •  Leland & Selma Shepardson Town Constable
  • Lloyd H. Cloyd Start of the Blacksmith business
  • Joseph Regnier
  • Joseph Eugene Tamagne
  • Lenox Savings Bank
  • Joseph Johnson willed to John Johnson (The Johnsons were in the plumbing business)
  • Charles Flint and Laura Bergan developed businesses in both barn and house. Barn restored.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1854 Clark Map, 1876 Beers Map, 1893 Sanborn Map

Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, Mass.

County Atlas of Berkshire, Mass., F.W. Beers, 1876

Old Maps

Town records

Lenox Assessor’s database 2012

72 Church St., James O’Brien House – c.1860

72 Church St., James O'Brien House - c. 1860
72 Church St., James O’Brien House – c. 1860

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Gothic Vernacular style building has 1.5 stories, an asphalt shingle roof and has been minimally altered. It was originally a 3-bay front façade structure with wood frame and wood clapboard. Some of the 2-o-2 windows are intact. There is a one story extension to right off the right side ell. The building sits on a stone foundation.

This small frame dwelling is typical of those built in Lenox in the second half of the nineteenth century.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

Not depicted on 1854 Clark Map; 1st depicted on 1876 Beers Map

This was originally the home of James O’Brien, a butcher who ran a meat market at 92 Church St. in partnership with John Stanley. An addition on the north side of the building housed a hardware and later plumbing business.

The property was purchased by Randy Austin in 1986.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

County Atlas of Berkshire, Mass., F.W. Beers, 1876

Gazetteer of Berkshire County., Hamilton Child, 1885

Lenox Assessor’s database 2012

 

66 Church St., James O’Brien, Jr. House – c. 1885

66 Church St., James O'Brien, Jr. House - c. 1885
66 Church St., James O’Brien, Jr. House – c. 1885

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION

This Queen Anne style wood frame building has 1.5 stories, an asphalt shingle roof, a stone foundation and has been altered. It is a wood frame with wood clapboard siding (1st fl. front facade). It has a hipped roof and a large brick center chimney. There is a square 2nd floor tower on left side with hipped roof, pinnacle, and leaded glass window-tracery. It has 2-over-2 windows grouped in sets of 2 and 3, larger ones with small square panes along top.

Early Queen Anne architectural style plus family history suggest an earlier construction date of c. 1885.

The pyramidal compound roof of this house, with its cross gables, dormers and tower is a distinctive feature of the Queen Anne Style as are the trio of windows topped by strips of small pages. Although a vernacular interpretation of the style, this house is far more elaborate and fashionable than the older O’Brien house at 80 Church St. and reflects the family’s increasing prosperity.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

This house was built by James O’Brien Jr. on part of his father’s house lot which was deeded to the son in 1894. James is listed in the 1885 directory as a gardener but seems to have become very successful at whatever he did by the time this house was built.

1880 Census shows James O’Brien Jr. at age 19 living with his father & mother, a 1st generation Irish American (another James O’Brien is a boarder); 1900 Census lists James & Catherine O’Brien, ages 39 & 37, with 4 children (oldest son David, 14 or 16 years old).

Property was purchased by Lee E. Goldstein in 1971.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

Middle Berkshire Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, MA Books/Pages 287/377 & 292/149

1880 Census and 1900 Census

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011

 

62 Church St., Franklin Carpenter House – c. 1860

62 Church St
62 Church St., Formerly 70 Church St.
No. 80 Church Reginier 1850-1875_NEW
80 Church St. Reginier 1850-1875 from Lenox Historical Society (Current Address?)

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

A Gothic Revival (Vernacular) style wood frame 1.5 story building with Colonial Revival porch. Features include an asphalt shingle roof, 2-bay front entrance porch with pediment and 2 Doric columns; a shed-roofed glazed porch in right front corner and 2-over-2 windows.

The original building was a small center chimney dwelling in which later additions included a side wing and an enclosed porch. Property has been significantly altered.

There may be an earlier house than 1860 (“O. Carpenter” on 1854 Clark Map – shows footprint with recessed right side ell) though architectural form suggests the 1860 or later date; “W. Russell” on 1875 Beers Map.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

Built in the 1860’s, probably by Franklin Carpenter, who had extensive property holdings in this area. Described in a later deed as a farmhouse, this may have been Carpenter’s home on what was originally a large lot.

In 1869 the house and part of the lot was sold to Margaret Russell and her husband William. The property was purchased with the help of a mortgage from Timothy Mahanna, who seems to have been related to the Russells by marriage. The house remained in the Russell family through the 19th century, later becoming the home of the Wheeler family.

Mildred Hador bought the property from the Wheeler’s in 1977.  It went into a trust for Mildred in 1992 and in 2020 her daughter Lisa Hador bought the property.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1854 Clark Map, 1875 Beers Map

Middle Berkshire Registry of Deeds Book/Pages 196/465 & 195/335

County Atlas of Berkshire County, F.W. Beers, 1876

Atlas of Berkshire County, Barnes & Farnham 1904

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011

65 and 69 Church St.

65 Church St LEN-61

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

The original form of this vernacular house has been largely obscured by its annexation to its neighbor at 69 Church St.

This Gothic Vernacular style wood frame building has 1.5 – 2 stories, an asphalt shingle roof and has been altered. It has corner boards and wood clapboard siding.

LEFT SECTION: Upright & wing form with 1.5-story cross-gable wing with a shed-roofed broken-eave dormer. It has an entrance porch with gable roof, an arched ceiling, and slender Doric columns. There is a box bay window to right of entry and a glazed porch with hipped roof in left front corner forward of recessed left side ell. It has 2-over-2 windows and a brick center chimney.

RIGHT SECTION: Is a 2-story building with gable roof and 2 brick interior chimneys. There is a 2-story faceted bay window at right front corner (added between 1898 & 1905) with projecting front gable roof, pent between attic & 2nd floor. There is a 1-story hipped roof addition on front with entry porches on either end, with large storefront display windows between.

Posted as #63-65 Church St.; both houses appear to be depicted on 1854 Clark Map; Queen Anne details may have come with late 20th century additions, repeating roof pitches & details of earlier periods.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

65 Church – Private home of Joseph & Desire W. Palmer who were large land owners in Lenox in the first third of the 19th century. This house helped to fill in Church St.

Property was purchased by the Oaks Hunt Group LLC in 1987, the Church Street Café Realty in 1997 and then by Church Street Holdings LLC in 2007.

69 Church – The early owners of this building have contributed to the commerce of Lenox since the 3rd quarter of the 19th century. Most significant is the fact that a portion of the building moved in 1863 belonged to the Lenox Iron Works and originally the property was owned by the Lenox Iron Works.

This property was used as the home and carpentry show of the original owner, James McDonald. Later it was run as a boarding house by Caroline Bliss. It escaped damage in the 1909 Easter fire which destroyed many of the adjacent buildings. The property remained in the Bliss family until 1954. Property was purchased by the Oaks Hunt Group LLC in 1987, the Church Street Café Realty in 1997 and then by Church Street Holdings LLC in 2007.

The chain of title is as follows with deed Book/Page locations:

1862    Lenox Iron Works – George Tucker 165/570

1863   James McDonald 177/1

  1. L. Waterman

1867    George Loomis 190/405

1871    Sam Washburn 209/195

1874    Caroline Goodell Bliss   222/353

Sam Washburn 218/495

1881    Frederick Washburn 218/496 (willed)

1891    Caroline Bliss 218/496

1894    Lenox Savings Bank 280/615-637

Caroline F. Bliss Probate 34/500

1923    Caroline F. Reicharet (2 parcels) willed by Grandmother Bliss

1954    Joseph & Eleanor Sonsini 610/207

1963    Stanley F. Wright 761/143

1976    Reinholt Ass. 976/25

1978    Robert & Suzanne Hatch 1006/476

1980    Vernon Rice

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1854 Clark Map

County Atlas of Berkshire F.W. Beers, 1876

Sanborn Insurance Maps: 1893, 1905, 1911, 1932

Middle Berkshire Registry of Deeds (Books/Pages as above)

Probate Court

Pittsfield-Lenox Directory 1909-1912

Berkshire Gazeteer 1725-1885

Additional Maps – 1900, 1904

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011

 

56 Church St., Mahanna House – c.1875

56 Church St

From Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Italianate style wood frame building has two stories, a cross-gable roof with double bracketed eaves. It has wood clapboard siding, a brick rear wall chimney on rear the ell, an asphalt shingle roof and has been significantly altered.

This house presents a somewhat strange mixture of decorative elements applied to an oddly proportioned structure. The fanlights in the gables and the paired brackets under the eaves of the front gable appear to be later embellishments to an otherwise simple building.

This appears to be an earlier 3-bay house that was expanded after 1939 to its present dimensions & footprint – inspection of interior would be required to determine whether present structure is a replacement of the “T. Mahoney” house depicted on the 1854 Clark Map. Depicted as the “Mrs. B. Mahanna” house on the 1875 Beers Map and on the 1893 Sanborn Map.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

This was one of the three houses on Church Street owned by members of the Mahanna family.

In 1875 a lot owned by Timothy and Bridget Mahanna was divided between two of their children with this half deeded to daughter Bridget M. Mahanna and the other half going to son Michael Mahanna.

Bridget’s nephew Timothy conducted a fish and fruit market on the lawn south of the house.

The property was purchased by Player J. Crosby in 1980 and then by Charles T. Schulze in 1998.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1854 Clark Map, 1875 Beers Map, 1893 Sanborn Map

Berkshire Middle Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, Ma. Book 223, Page 261

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011

50 Church St., Michael Mahanna House – c.1888

50 Church St

Based on Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Shingle style building has an asphalt shingle roof, is intact and has a brick center chimney.

This is one of the few Shingle Style 2 story houses in Lenox where the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles enjoyed greater popularity in the 1880’s and 1890’s. Vernacular interpretations of this style are somewhat unusual and this example displays only a few characteristics of the fully developed architect-designed shingle style. The over-sized front gable which dominates the main face has relatively little adornment. Paired windows punctuate the center of the gable and a two-story oriel projects slightly providing surface interest.

Dentils run beneath the oriel and between the second story and the gable. The dentils also ornament the smaller cross-gable on the side façade. The shingles from which this style takes its name are here used only on the upper portion of the house, with the shingled surface flaring out at the point where it meets the clapboards of the first story. The porch recessed into one corner of the house is another hallmark of the shingle style.

It is depicted on the 1893 Sanborn Map with attached barn & labeled “John Gorham Carriage Facy [factory]” in rear portion of property with additional miscellaneous buildings.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

The original owner of this home was Michael Mahanna. Mr. Mahanna operated a livery stable on the premises and rented horses, carriages, sleighs and hacks for funerals.

Upon his death, his son, William T. Mahanna took over the property, renovating the house and detaching the sheds and barns used for the livery stables. He also built the barn that now exists to the rear of the premises. The new barn housed trotting horses as well as a family horse and pony. William Mahanna had extensive holdings in Lenox including the Mahanna Block on Main Street and the Mahanna Hotel on Church Street.

This house remained in the Mahanna family and in 1988 was owned by William Mahanna’s daughter, Marjorie and her husband Edward P. Daley. The property was sold to Anthony B. Chojnowski in 2007.

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1893 Sanborn Map

Conversations with Mr. & Mrs. Edward P. Daley

Middle Berkshire Registry of Deeds, Pittsfield, MA Books/Page 264/63 and 265/202

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011

38 Church St., Mahanna Hotel – c. 1908

38 Church St

Based on Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

This Commercial Italianate style building has three stories, a flat roof and has been minimally altered. It has masonry construction with brick, a flat roof, and two levels of corbelling at cornice. There are paired windows in the center bay of front façade, and stone banding (also serving as window sills) between 1st & 2nd and 2nd & 3rd floors. It has arched window openings with soldier course brickwork.

A modest commercial block with decorative brickwork confined to the corbelled cornice. The 3 bay front façade is divided by shallow brick piers, windows are surmounted by brick relieving arches.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

William Mahanna, a prominent businessman in the area, built this as a hotel around 1908. The building was constructed of Lenox Brick, probably from the brick yard on the Lenox-Pittsfield Road (near the Quarry) owned and operated by Mr. Mahanna. Mr. Mahanna also had extensive real estate holdings including the Mahanna Block on Main Street (1903) and a house on Church Street.

The building remained in the Mahanna family & was passed onto Mahanna’s daughter Florence. In 1946 it was sold to George Shaker and John J. Kock. The name Mahanna Hotel was retained through several subsequent owners until 1968 when it became the Lenox Apartments.

Chain of Title – Books/Pages

1908    William Mahanna built –

Florence Mahanna (daughter – inherited)

1946    George Shaker & John J. Koch 524/270

1961    Lucille & Ralph Crissey (purchased from Lenox Savings Bank) 720/262

1964    Pioneer Investment Corp by Foreclosure sale

1968    Carl L. Proper, Proper Realty Trust

1986    Evelyn Witkowski

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1905 and 1911 Sanborn Maps

Registry of Deeds

Josephine Pignatelli

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011

34 Church St., William Mahanna House – c.1860

34 Church St., William Mahanna House - c. 1860
34 Church St., William Mahanna House – c. 1860

Based on Surveys Completed 2011-2012 by the Lenox Historical Commission

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION:

The original 19th century vernacular dwelling has been obscured by later additions and alterations. This undetermined style wood frame building has two stories, an asphalt shingle roof and front gable roof with cross-gabled side ell on the right.

HISTORICAL NARRATIVE:

One of the many properties owned by William Mahanna. Tunnels under this building had connected it with the Mahanna Hotel. The tunnels were reported to have been where bootleg liquor was stored during Prohibition.

In the rear of the building was a long shed in which the Town stored its horse drawn fire-fighting equipment, hook, ladder and steamer.

In 2007 it was purchased by PTW Development LLC – Church Street Condominium

BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES:

1854 and 1876 Clark Maps

Atlas of Berkshire County, Mass. F.W.Bears, 1876

Lenox Assessor’s database 2011