The McLean Building is from 1895. It is located at 382-384 High Street. It was built for the McLean Brothers who were furniture dealers. They started in 1881 on Main Street.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map shows an empty block
Sanborn 1949 map shows that it is now part of the dye house next store and that that dye house is connected by a walkway bridge on the 3rd floor and by a tunnel in the cellar to the buildings behind it for storage and display of furniture
The Senior Block at 374-380 High Street was built in 1898. It took the place of the Browning Hall. The Senior Block had a bank and a business school there. It is built in the tripartite style of the American Renaissance. Henry Senior had the building made and George Alderman designed it. By 1909 City Realty had purchased it.
Mostly this is known for being the home of Park National Bank. But in 1922 City National Bank is here.
In 1900 there was a dentist in one of the rooms.
In 1915 Louis LaFrance also had his contractor business here.
In 1900 the fraternal group Bay State Club meets here. Also that year the Lenox Club meets here.
According to the Sanborn maps:
Sanborn 1884 map shows the city block is empty
Sanborn 1889 map shows a 5 story building that is called the Browning Hall
Sanborn 1895 map – shows a 5 story building
Sanborn 1915 map it gives the year of construction as 1898
Sanborn 1949 map there was the Park National Bank
Sanborn 1956 map there was the Park National Bank
The Young Men’s Hebrew Building at 314-316 High Street is from 1915. The central fire station was here but was torn down.
Then the YMHA built this building.
In at least 1922 the People’s Savings Bank moved into this block and from then on it has been named after them.
Also here was the George Alderman architectural firm.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map lot is empty
Sanborn 1889 map shows that the early central fire station was actually two buildings wide
Sanborn 1915 map states that the diagram is from plans
The Wylie and Perkins Block at 284 to 286 High Street was built as a one floor building. The second floor was added later. The metal posts that bear load gives away that it was a one floor structure. Currently, it is the home of the Springfield Pharmacy.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map just shows that there is no structure
Sanborn 1889 map it is one floor and a variety store is here
Sanborn 1895 map it is one floor and an undertaker and tailor are here
Sanborn 1915 map shows it as a one floor building with a restaurant in front and a bakery in back
Sanborn 1949 map shows it as a two floor building with a store
Sanborn 1956 map shows it as a two floor building
The Smith Building located at 270-276 High Street. It was built in 1906 in the American Renaissance style. J R Smith was the first owner and ran his old time produce and grocery store from here. Later G J Prew would buy it.
The Springfield Commercial School was here in 1915.
The previous building was called the Hubbard and Tabor. In 1896 J R Smith was one of the tenants.
Sanborn map analysis
Sanborn 1889 map shows two 4 story buildings here
Sanborn 1895 map shows the same
Sanborn 1915 map states that it was built in 1905
The Windsor Hotel city block was fine length of architecture. From the Delaney Marble Building to the Windsor Hotel and the Opera House. Only the 525-527 Dwight Street structure is left standing.
1892 ad
Sanborn map analysis:
The William Martin Block at 148-150-152-154 High Street has always been a very active site. He was a dealer in coal and wood. Other retailers here were a pharmacy and a coal dealer. The Saint Jean Baptiste Society of Holyoke was based here in the Saint John’s Hall on the upper floor. The organization started in 1868.
1871 ad
Sanborn map analysis:
The John Fuller’s Building is at 126-130 High Street. It was built in 1850. It was the City Hotel in the beginning of its existence.
In 1915 the building is being called the Polish Hotel. Now it is residential and retail.
In the 1960s it is Hotel Nonotuck. On May 5 1968 there is a fire there.
The John Fuller Block at 140-144 High Street was built in 1857. Likewise the 134-136 High Street double structure is most likely a Fuller building.
In 1869 Buckley the Furnace man was here.
Higginbottom dry good and clothing was there in 1869 perhaps in one of the one floor sturctures.
1871 ad for rooms and articles
1883 ad
Jeremiah Sullivan was the mayor for three years in Holyoke but he was also the owner of a meat market. Sullivan Square is named after him.
Sanborn map analysis:
The Gallaudet Block is a very old building by Holyoke’s standards. It was built in 1847 when this was still West Springfield. It is at the 95-97 High Street block. Look at the brickwork as you go up the building. It was once three stories in height but now is four.
In the late 1860s Michael Finn the brickmaker took over and also started to sell produce.
97 High Street was where Julia Lewandowska started her medical practice in 1911. She was a natural speaker of Polish of which she was the first in Holyoke. her specialty was with mothers and children. In about 1914 she married and her named became Julia Bauman.
In 1922, the AW Smith Drug Store was here. Also one of the ten postal substations of Holyoke was here – number 7.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map shows a hardware dealer is there and that the building is already 4 floors in height
Sanborn 1889 map same
The Royal Theater at 99 – 101 High Street was made in 1915 as both a stage theater and a movie theater. It started out as a silent movie venue but when sound was added they added audio. Now it is a store and apartments. It lasted until 1939 when it must have experienced economic pressure from the other theaters.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map shows a fruit dealer is there
Sanborn 1889 map same
Sanborn 1915 map shows that is being built in that year
Sanborn 1949 map a furniture store is there
