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Photograph of Lenox High School
Photograph by John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Lenox High School

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. A historic map-sheet match is not published yet. The record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary.

From the record

“The Old Lenox High School building, also formerly known as the Lenox Elementary School and the Marguerite E. Cameron Elementary School, is a historic school building at 109 Housatonic Street in Lenox, Massachusetts.”

Wikipedia article Old Lenox High School building, CC BY-SA 4.0.

one of 94 National Register listings in Berkshire County · listed in 2004 · category: Building · one of 1 National Historic Landmarks in Berkshire County.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. 109 Housatonic St., Lenox, 01240
  • When was it listed? 2004-08-25
  • Category. building
  • Township. Lenox town
  • Architectural style. Colonial Revival architecture
  • Architect. John W. Donohue
  • National Register reference number. 04000903 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

50 since 2002

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 50 fires within 5 miles of Lenox High School between 2002 and 2020, burning about 34 acres in total. 3 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning20
Recreation and ceremony11
Equipment and vehicle use7
Missing data/not specified/undetermined3
Natural3
Railroad operations and maintenance2
Smoking2
Other causes1
Power generation/transmission/distribution1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
21 September 2020Smokingunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
18 September 2019Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
1 September 2017Naturalunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
31 August 2019Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
21 August 2002Smokingunder an acreMassachussetts State Fire Marshal's Officenot named
7 July 2003Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreMassachussetts State Fire Marshal's Officenot named
5 May 2015Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named
4 May 2015Debris and open burningunder an acreMassachusetts Bureau of Forest Fire Controlnot named

Every fire recorded in Berkshire County

Specimens collected near this property

12 of 1,832 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 1,832 specimens collected within 10 miles of Lenox High School between 1833 and 1975: 849 Animalia, 655 Plantae, 321 Fungi, 3 Unrecorded, 2 Chromista, 2 Protozoa. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A W Evans, A. Brown, A. E. Treat and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
Specimen of Bombus ternarius Say, 1837Bombus ternarius Say, 18371898[Not Stated]Hinsdale
Specimen of Potamogeton pusillus subsp. tenuissimus (Mert. & W.D.J.Koch) K.Richt.Potamogeton pusillus subsp. tenuissimus (Mert. & W.D.J.Koch) K.Richt.1900P. B. Weatherbee
A photograph of the species Betula alleghaniensis, not of this specimenBetula alleghaniensis Britton1833Collector unknown
A photograph of the species Betula pumila, not of this specimenBetula pumila L.1833Collector unspecified
A photograph of the species Carex utriculata, not of this specimenCarex utriculata Boott1833W. L. Worcester
A photograph of the species Dennstaedtia punctilobula, not of this specimenDennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) T.Moore1833Collector unknown
A photograph of the species Gymnocarpium dryopteris, not of this specimenGymnocarpium dryopteris (L.) Newman1833Collector unknown
A photograph of the species Parnassia caroliniana, not of this specimenParnassia caroliniana Michx.1834not recorded
A photograph of the species Persicaria amphibia, not of this specimenPersicaria amphibia (L.) Delarbre1835C. A. ShurtleffPittsfield
A photograph of the species Bromus latiglumis, not of this specimenBromus latiglumis (Shear) Hitchc.1857W. H. Leggett
A photograph of the species Solidago patula, not of this specimenSolidago patula Muhl. ex Willd.1858Brewer; Chickering
A photograph of the species Acer saccharum, not of this specimenAcer saccharum Marshall1897Vail, A.M.Tyringham

All 1,832 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this property

10 of 40 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 40 workings within 5 miles of Lenox High School: 22 past producers, 13 producers, 4 occurrences, 1 unknown. 13 still produce. What was taken out: Iron, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Limestone, General. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Cheever MinesIron, ManganeseProducerGoethite, Limonite
Cheever MinesIron, ManganesePast Producer
Cone Limestone MineIron, Magnesite, ZincPast Producer1827
John S Lane and Son IncLimestone, GeneralPast ProducerSedimentary
Lee Marble Inc Qy & PlantMarble, DimensionProducer
Lee Quarry and MillStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Lee White Marble QuarryMarble, DimensionPast ProducerMetamorphic
No 6 Quarry & Plnt Lane & SonStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
North Adams Lime QuarryLimestone, GeneralProducerStratabound
Abby PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every working recorded in Berkshire County

Storms near this property

51 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Lenox, the town this property stands in, in 51 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 35 thunderstorm wind, 8 flash flood, 7 hail, 1 lightning. The reports record 5 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 2009Thunderstorm WindLenox3 hurtA roof was partially ripped off a horse barn and several trees were reported down due to strong thunderstorm winds at the Aspinwall Equestrian Center off Route 7A, Main Street, in Lenox. ||A large tree and power lines were downed on Route 7 and 20, Pittsfield Road, just north of the entrance to the Aspinwell Shops due to strong thunderstorm winds. A vehicle was hit with debris resulting in minor injuries to a person. ||Along East Dugway Road, 10 trees and 8 utility poles were reported downed due to strong thunderstorm winds. Two cars were struck by downed trees and 2 people were treated for minor injuries. ||Trees were reported down near the Eastover Resort on East Road in Lenox due to strong thunderstorm winds.
July 1997LightningLenox1 hurt, $4,000no account filed
June 2011Thunderstorm WindLenox1 hurtIn Lenox, numerous trees were reported down due to strong thunderstorm winds|along East Street between New Lenox Road and Housatonic Street, on Kemble Street at the Shakespeare and Company Campus and on Walker Street at the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindLenox$300,000An estimated one thousand or more trees and branches were snapped or uprooted around the Mass Audubon's Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, north of of the Town of Lenox. Damage was also observed along the trails as well as a window breaking in the office. Preliminary damage estimates were up to $500,000.
July 2021Flash FloodLenox$75,000A road construction project on Edgewood Drive over a creek was washed out due to flooding. A portion of East Street was also closed.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindLenox$17,000no account filed
May 2002Thunderstorm WindLenox$9,000no account filed
August 2000Thunderstorm WindLenox$8,000no account filed
June 2000Flash FloodLenox$4,000no account filed
July 1997HailLenox$2,000no account filed
March 2026Thunderstorm WindLenox-Local law enforcement relayed a report of a downed tree in Lenox.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tree was reported down on wires in the vicinity of Sherwood Drive in the Town of Lenox.
July 2024HailLenox-One inch hail was observed in the Town of Lenox.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindNew Lenox-Trees and wires were reported down.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tree was reported down on West Street near Tanglewood.
March 2022Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tree was reported down on wires on Stockbridge Rd.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindLenox-A NWS Storm Survey confirmed straight line wind damage in the Town of Lenox. Damage was sporadic and ranged from broken tree limbs to large diameter trees snapped and uprooted. Damage was most concentrated downwind of large open spaces or lakes. Downed trees blocked many roads and caused numerous power outages. Trees also fell onto homes and cars. Some festival tents were also blown away. The maximum estimated winds were 85 mph with a path length of 1.7 miles and width of 0.8 of a mile.
June 2021Flash FloodLenox-There was flooding reported at the intersection of Housatonic Street and East Street.
June 2021Thunderstorm WindLenox-Multiple trees were downed in Lenox.
July 2021Flash FloodLenox-There were numerous roads flooded in the town of Lenox. All available firefighters were called in by the Lenox Fire Department.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindLenox-A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed a severe thunderstorm produced a microburst along Cliffwood Street just northwest of downtown Lenox. Hardwood and softwood trees were snapped and uprooted. Some homes were damaged from the fallen trees. Winds were estimated between 80 and 90 mph with a path length of one-half mile and a path width of 50 yards.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindLenox-The National Weather Service storm survey confirmed a severe thunderstorm produced a microburst along Housatonic Street before ending at Kimball Farms in the Town of Lenox. Hardwood and softwood trees were snapped and uprooted along its path. One home along Housatonic Street suffered wind damage to its siding. Some homes were damaged by fallen trees. Winds were estimated at 80 to 90 mph with a path length of one-half mile and a path width of 100 yards.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tree and wires were downed on a house on East Street near the Town of Lenox.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindNew Lenox-Trees were downed on a house on New Lenox Road near the Town of Lenox.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindLenox-Trees and wires were downed.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tree was downed in Lenox.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindLenox-A telephone pole and wires were downed.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindLenox-Trees were downed onto wires.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindLenox-Trees and wires were downed near Mountain and Clifford Roads.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindLenox-One tree was reported down in Lenox as a result of thunderstorm winds.
July 2014Flash FloodLenox-Heavy rainfall from thunderstorms led to flash flooding in Lenox. Two feet of water was flowing across Housatonic Street.
June 2014Flash FloodLenox-Heavy rain from thunderstorms caused flash flooding in the Lenox area. Multiple streets, including Lenox Road, was impacted by flooding.
June 2014Flash FloodLenox-Heavy rain from thunderstorms caused flash flooding in both Lenox and Lenoxdale. The intersection of East and Walker streets was closed due to flooding and repairs were needed to the roadway. In addition, washouts also occurred on Housatonic Street and Crystal Street.
July 2014Thunderstorm WindNew Lenox-Trees were downed on Holmes Road in Pittsfield due to thunderstorm winds.
October 2013Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tree was downed on Kemble Street in Lenox as a result of thunderstorm winds.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindLenox-Trees and wires were reported down due to strong thunderstorm winds approximately one mile southeast of Lenox.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tall pine tree on Old Stockbridge Road, Route 7, was reported down by strong thunderstorm winds near Lenox Town Hall. A car crashed into the tree and the driver was reported hospitalized with lacerations.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tree was reported down on a house on Walker Street in Lenox due to strong thunderstorm winds. Several sections of the house were reported damaged.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindLenox-A tree was reported down on a house damaging most of the roof on Schermerhorn Parkway in Lenox due to strong thunderstorm winds.
May 2010Thunderstorm WindLenox-Trees were reported down in Lenox due to strong thunderstorm winds.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindLenox-Damage was reported to the exterior of a restaurant in Lenox due to strong thunderstorm winds.
August 2009HailLenox-Measured penny size hail was reported in Lenox during a thunderstorm.
July 2009Flash FloodLenox-Numerous road were reported closed in Lenox due to flash flooding from very heavy rainfall.
July 2008Thunderstorm WindNew Lenox-Several tree limbs were reported down approximately 4 miles south of Pittsfield due to strong thunderstorm winds. In addition, penny size hail was also reported during this thunderstorm.
July 2008HailNew Lenox-Penny size hail was reported approximately 4 miles south of Pittsfield during a thunderstorm. In addition, several tree limbs were reported down due to strong thunderstorm winds.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindLenox-A trained spotter reported that numerous trees were blown down in Lenox.
December 2006Thunderstorm WindLenox-Straight line winds from a thunderstorm downed hundreds of trees over a 1.5 mile path length, at a width of around 1 mile, near Lenox. Estimated maximum winds were between 80 and 85 MPH.
August 2004Thunderstorm WindLenox-Trees and wires down on Dugway Road.
June 1994HailLenox-Dime-size hail fell in Lenox while urban street flooding occurred in Stockbridge and Lenoxdale. Rainfall of 2.70 inches was observed in one hour and 15 minutes.
July 1998HailLenox-no account filed
July 1998HailLenox-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Berkshire County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

From the nomination file

7,348 words on record

When this property was proposed for the National Register, someone wrote the case for it: what the building is, and why it matters. That document is a federal record in the public domain. It is quoted below word for word, never summarised. The text was read off the scanned case file by machine, so the occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the 1970s typewriter's.

Statement of significance

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.) XA Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. _ B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. X C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. _D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Criteria Considerations (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.) Property is: _A owned by religious institution or used for religious purposes. _ B removed from its original location. _ C a birthplace or grave. _ D a cemetery. _E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. _F a commemorative property. _ G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years.

Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) Berkshire County, Massachusetts County and State Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) Architecture Community Planning and Development Education Period of Significance 1908-1954 Significant Dates 1908 Significant Person (Complete if Criterion B is marked above) N/A Cultural Affiliation N/A Architect/Builder Donohue, Johnathan William 2.

The whole case file for this property - 7,348 words, 29 pages, reproduced complete.

Quoted from the National Register nomination for reference 04000903, 29 pages, held by the National Archives in Record Group 79. See the catalogue record.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Lenox Library0.1 miles1973
Lenox Academy0.2 miles1982
Lenox Railroad Station2.2 miles1989
Golden Hill Bridge3.3 miles1994
Citizens Hall3.6 miles1972
Northeast School3.8 miles2002

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 04000903 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Berkshire CountyAll 94 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.