The house at 18 Main Street in Hatfield, Massachusetts, in 1938. Image taken by Arthur C. Haskell. Library of Congress, Historic American Buildings Survey Collection.
The house in 2024:
This house was built in 1783 as the home of Lieutenant David Billings (1731-1807). It stands on the east side of Main Street, between the street and the Connecticut River, with a lot that originally extended all the way back to the river. The house remained in the Billings family for many years, and subsequent owners included his grand nephew Joseph Dickinson Billings (1813-1882), and then by Joseph’s daughter Mary Billings Dickinson (1843-1922). It is an excellent example of an early Federal-style house, and in 1910 the A History of Hatfield, Massachusetts noted that [t]he house has the same appearance as of old, having been kept in excellent repair.”
The top photo was taken in 1938, as part of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS). This federal program involved documenting historic architecture across the country, and this house was one of several here in Hatfield that were included. At the time, the house still retained its original exterior appearance, but later in the 20th century it was altered with the installation of modern materials, including aluminum siding. However, the exterior has since been restored, and it now much more closely resembles its original appearance when compared to how it looked a few years ago.