Centennial Block, 57-62 North Main Street, Concord, Merrimack County, NH

Significance: The Centennial Block was built for James R. Hill, founder of the company that manufactured the Concord Harness, a superior stage and farm harness. In addition to the Centennial Block, Hill was responsible for constructing the State Block, Columbian Block and James R. Hill and Company building. A dry goods store owned by Messrs. Blanchard and Crapo was the original ground floor tenant of the Centennial Block; the second and third floor originally housed apartments. The name of the Building commemorates the date of its construction in 1876, the year the nation celebrated its centennial. A fire on the site destroyed the original frame, leather shop and dwelling in which James Hill's father lived. Significant architectural features of the Centennial Block include corbelled arches, denticulated cornice, and segmental arched windows with granite lintels and keystones. The upper stories of the facade are Italianate in style with the rhythmic fenestration of arched windows under corbelled masonry arches.
Survey number: HABS NH-162
Building/structure dates: 1876 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: ca. 1928 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1939 Subsequent Work