Postcard of cottage #5, Cadogan Villa.
#2 Normal Hall
#3 The Tabernacle
#7 "Little Red Schoolhouse"
#8 "Kozy Nook"
#9 "Memorial Cottage"
#10 "Summer Cottage"
#13 "Grandview"
#14 Formerly Ludlow Chapel.
#15 Formerly So. Hadley Chapel
#17 Former Williamsburg Chapel
#18 Formerly No. Prescott Chapel
#19 Shelburne Falls Cottage
#20 Gill Chapel then Memorial Chapel; 1984 Parker Memorial Chapel
#21 Colrain Chapel
#22 Easthampton Chapel
#23 Holyoke Chapel
#24 Wesleyan Dormitory, Chicopee Falls Chapel
#27 "Welcome"
#29 "Roseglade"
#30 "Deer Lodge"
#31 "The Spruces", "Melrose"
#32 "Forrest Cottage"
#33 "Shangri La"
#34 "Cosey Nook"
#35 "Alpine Cottage"
#36 "Oak Lodge"
#37 "Idlewild", "Flood Cottage"
#41 "Woodside"
#42 "Tarryawhile", "The Catbird Seat"
#44 "Hawthorne Cottage"
#45 "Rose Brier"
#46 "Somerlag"
#51 "Pineywoods"
#52 "Beulah Cottage"
#54 "Craigmore", Craig Cottage
#55 "Parkview"
#56 "Little Brownie"
#58 "Pinehurst"
#59 "Rambler"
#60 "Amrita Lodge"
#61 "Dixie Cottage"
#63 "Bluebird"
#64 "Oakhurst"
#65 "Redstone"
#66 "The Gardens", "Wood Thrush Knoll"
#67 "Pipe Bluff", "Sunnyslope", "Greycote"
#68 "Woodmont"
#69 "Happy Days"
#70 "Sunset Cottage"
#71 "Welykeit"
#72 "Hy-Uppe"
#73 "Chateau", "Chalet"
#75 "Rocklawn"
#76 "Centerview"
#79 "Hilltop", changed to "Greenwood" in 1944
#81 "Pine Tree"
#82 "House of Mews" (Sheila Delson)
#83 "Kentucky Home", Renamed "Twin Oaks" by Ella Andrews (1948)
#84 "Fern Hill"
#85 "Rockwood"
#86 "Grey Gables"
#87 "Thisldu"
#90 "Bohemian Retreat"
#92 "The Hut"
#93 "Rockbound", "Boulder Rock"
#95 "Gray Gables"
#96 "Rockview"
#97 "Hillcrest", renamed "The Angel House" by Hope Solanis
#98 "The Breezes"
#99 "The Bandbox"
#100 "In and Out" (Barb Wyman)
#101 "Kenhaven"
#107 "Woodbine"
#108 "Cliff Lodge"
#110 "The Hutch"
#111 Northampton Chapel
#112 Westfield Chapel
#113 Grace Chapel
#114 "Norwood"
#115 "Bide-a-ween cottage"
#116 Bernardston Chapel
(6)
List of named cottages that were torned down:
Wee Hoose
Big Enough
Colonial Cottage
Springdale
The Falls Club
Trinity Cottage
Quiet Rest
Pine Grove
Normal Hall is located behind the main entrance and is currently recognized as the oldest building in Laurel Park. Architectural historian, Tom Carter, who specializes in vernacular architecture and joined our field visit on April 4, 2017 stated that according to building material, roof framing and fasteners, the building constructed was likely in the 1870s.
The structural wood framing of Normal Hall's roof. (5)
A Normal school was known as an institution that provided training for potential teachers. The Normal school originated in the early nineteenth century and is derived from the French phrase, ecole normale. The French concept, ecole normale, was to “provide a model school with model classrooms to model teaching practices to its student teachers". (1) The first state-sponsored Normal school in the United States was established in Lexington, Massachusetts in 1839.
Members of Laurel Park decided to name one of their primary buildings "Normal" because it was a space that provided educational and religious training. “An integral part of Laurel’s Park history was the Connecticut Valley Chautauqua and Sunday School Assembly, sponsored every summer from 1887 to 1917. This was a continuing education effort and ran through a regular three- or four-year course with special graduation exercises on completion. As many as 278 were enrolled in the afternoon Sunday School exclusive of the primary classes.” (2)
Laurel Park Entrance (3)
An early photograph of Normal Hall. (3)
View of Normal Hall in the 1940s (3)
Present view (http://www.laurelparkarts.org/visit/)
1997 Building Directory of Laurel Park, you can find the named cottage according to its number here. Photo taken by Professor Steven Moga.
House naming has been a cultural and traditional practice in many areas around the world. People from various countries have named their homes based on geographical features, family names, spiritual or religious reasons. A name adds character to a home and can trace back the history and cultural significance of the family owners and land. The tradition of naming homes slowed after World War II when urbanization spread in rural areas. However, Laurel Park continues to cherish this convention of house naming and have preserved many of the original house names, owners, and dates. They continue to acknowledge this tradition that provides a cultural significance to their community. The adaptation of residents to their cottages demonstrates an environmental, cultural, and historic evolution within Laurel Park.
Traditional house names are an intangible cultural heritage that provides a unique and social identity to a community. Many of the remaining cottages have their original given names and are passed down from one generation to another. Some cottages were given a new name because their original names were forgotten, unknown or the house owner chose to change the name that best suits their interpretation of home.
During the Victorian era (1837-1901), it was common for noble people to name their homes, especially after plants or animals. Many of the cottages names in Laurel Park overlap with traditional English names.
Examples: "Spruces", "Oak Lodge", "Alpine Cottage", "Pine Tree" Woodbine" and "Blue Bird".
(1) "History of the Old Main Building," Wordpress, (July 24, 1987), accessed May 1, 2017. url: https://oldmainartifacts.wordpress.com/history/
Note: The author referenced that quote from
(2) Manning, Alice H. “Meadow City Milestones,” Daily Hampshire Gazette, (February 1987), accessed April 20, 2017.
(3) From Laurel's Park photo archive.
(4) Newspapers and photos from Historic Northampton. The photos were donated by Joan Brown who lived in 67 Laurel Park.
(5) Photographed by Melissa Rosa.
(6) List provided by members of the Laurel Park Art's organization: Sandra Matthews and Kate Richardson.