Oscar Beauchemin

Oscar Beauchemin (c. 1876 – January 15, 1938) was an American architect, and civil engineer based out of Holyoke, Massachusetts who designed a number of tenements and commercial blocks in the Greater Springfield area, and whose work was prominent in the Main Street architectural landscape of the Springdale neighborhood of Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Oscar Beauchemin
Portrait of Beauchemin, c. 1938
Born	c. 1876 Quebec
Died	January 15, 1938(1938-01-15) (aged 62)[1][2] Holyoke, Massachusetts
Resting place	Calvary Cemetery[1] Holyoke, Massachusetts
Nationality	American
Known for	Architect
Notable work	Valley Arena[3] J.R. Smith Block Holyoke Transportation Center Springdale Main Street The Parkside Paquette Block Guenther Block
Spouse	Maria E. Doherty

Beauchemin was born in Quebec around the year 1876,^[4][5] with his family relocating to Holyoke within a year, where he would spend nearly his entire childhood. For the first part of his subsequent career, he was employed by the Merrick Lumber Company. Having a long-held interest in designing buildings, he first became active as an architect in 1903,^[1] and opened his own independent firm in 1908.^[4]

By the end of his career Beauchemin had become under the employ of Holyoke's municipal engineering department.^[6] Throughout his life he was an active member Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters and was known to be a competitive candlepin bowler.^[4][7]

Following a period of brief illness, he died in the evening of January 15, 1938 at his home at about the age of 62.^[1]

Selected works

The Bijou Theatre (top), built in 1913 and expanded in 1916, it was demolished around 1960; 331-335 Main Street, a commercial and residential block at the corner of Main and Cabot, built 1911, razed in a fire in 1989

The J.R. Smith Building, also known as the Prew Building, built 1906

1910 advertisement in the Springfield Republican

While known to have constructed smaller dwellings as well, Beauchemin's works were generally large brick tenements with ground-floor storefronts or offices, done in the neoclassical style. Among features common to his work were festoon-adorned friezes, belt courses and angled windows placed at a corner of the front facade.

• J.R. Smith Block, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1906)^[1]
• Bergeron Apartments, Chicopee, Massachusetts (1909)^[8]
• The Clinton, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1909)^[9][10]
• Cavagnare Block/736-740 Dwight St., Holyoke, Massachusetts (1909, demolished c. 2000) ^[9][10][11]
• Oakdale Pharmacy Block, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1910)^[12][13]
• The Parkview, Springdale, Holyoke, Massachusetts (c. 1910)^{[4][10][14][a]}
• Paquette Block, Springdale, Holyoke, Massachusetts (c. 1910)^{[4][10][15][b]}
• Guenther Block, Springdale, Holyoke, Massachusetts (c. 1910)^{[4][10][15][b]}
• Wayfinders Dwight/Clinton, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1910),^[16] formerly Gauthier Block
• 331-335 Main Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1911, demolished 1989)^[17]
• Choiniere & Beauregard Block, Springfield, Massachusetts (1912, demolished)^[18]
• Pelott Block, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1912)^{[10][19][20][c]}
• Bijou Theater, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1913, 1916 expansion, demolished)^[21][22]
• Holyoke Transportation Center, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1914),^[23] formerly Holyoke Central Fire Station
• Knights of Columbus Building, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1915, demolished)^[24][25]
• M. A. Scannell House, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1915)^[26]
• The Colonial/Beauvais Block, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1916)^[27][21]
• Dennis M. Reardon House, South Hadley, Massachusetts (1916)^[28]
• Valley Arena Gardens, Holyoke, Massachusetts (1926),^[3] noted sports and entertainment venue best known as the site of Rocky Marciano's professional debut

• 
  The former Central Fire Station, redeveloped as the Holyoke Transportation Center in 2010
• 
  Gauthier Block, built c. 1910
• 
  Guenther Block (left) and Paquette Block (right), both built circa 1909-1910
• 
  The Parkview, built 1910; it along with Guenther and Paquette being defining features of Springdale's Main Street landscape

See also

• George P. B. Alderman
• James A. Clough

Notes

1. The estimated date given in the state historic commission's entry, 1890/1894, precedes the designer's entry into architectural practice and places him at about the age of 14. Prior sources indicate 1910 as the earliest date of construction.
2. Listed in MACRIS as single property, Paquette-Guenther/Springdale Tenement Block, while earlier sources and city assessor's map places the connected blocks as two properties.
3. Listed in same listing by Massachusetts Historical Commission as "The Clinton" despite having different construction and not appearing with that building on 1911 map.

References

1. "Oscar Beauchemin, Architect, Dead". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. January 16, 1938. p. 4A.
2. "BEAUCHEMIN". Springfield Republican. January 17, 1938. p. 4. In Holyoke, the 15th, Oscar Beauchemin of 87 Pearl street. Funeral from the home Tuesday morning at 8:15, solemn high mass of requiem in Holyoke Cross church at 9. Burial in Calvary cemetery, John B. Shea service
3. "Deaths- Orcar Beauchemin [sic]; Well Known Architect and Designer Dies at Pearl St. Home; Was Member of Bowling Team That Established World's Record 25 Years Ago". Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. January 17, 1938. p. 10. In drawing the plans for the Valley Arena, Mr. Beauchemin remodeled the old gas holder, formerly the property of the Municipal Gas & Electric department, into a perfect indoor sports center. Regarded as one of the most model boxing plants in the country the building was praised by Jack Dempsey, former world's heavyweight champion, on a recent visit here as one of the finest he had ever seen.
4. Alcorn, W. M.; Shirley, P. E. (1910). Holyoke, Past and Present Progress and Prosperity; Historical and Industrial Notes. W.M. Alcorn Souvenir Association. p. 41. OCLC 50033673.
5. 1910 US Census, Voter Lists; identified by location and wife, Maria E Beauchemin
6. "Oscar Beauchemin". Engineering News-record. Vol. 120. McGraw-Hill. 1938. p. 313. Oscar Beauchemin, who was connected with the engineering department of the City of Holyoke, Mass., died Jan. 8.
7. "Home City Men in Lead by Few Pins". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. January 31, 1913. p. 19. Splendid shooting by Cecil Spalding marked the first half of the $50 purse match in which Spalding and Oscar Beauchemin are pitted against Ed Morrill and George Plumadore of Springfield
8. CHI.59, MACRIS, Massachusetts Historical Commission.
9. "Holyoke". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. June 10, 1909. p. 10. Architect Oscar Beauchemin has prepared plans for a five-story brick block which will be erected by Joseph Cavagnare [sic] at the corner of Dwight and Walnut streets. The building will contain eight apartments and two stores, and will be ready for occupancy by the middle of August.-Mr Beauchemin also drew the plans for the 25-apartment block for Treffle Beaudoin at Chestnut and Sargeant streets
10. Richards Standard Atlas of the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Springfield, Mass.: Richards Map Company. 1911.
11. Query for Parcel 006-09-002, Holyoke Assessor's Cards - Previous Assessments, Patriot Properties.
12. "Western Massachusetts- Holyoke". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. March 17, 1910. p. 12. A. T. Smith & W. Smith awarded the contract yesterday for their new apartment house at Sargeant street and Magnolia avenue to Joseph Lalibertie. The plans were drawn by Oscar Beauchemin and call for a three-story brick block containing three stores and four apartments.
13. HLY.475, MACRIS, Massachusetts Historical Commission.
14. HLY.1313, MACRIS, Massachusetts Historical Commission.
15. HLY.1312, MACRIS, Massachusetts Historical Commission.
16. "Building News- Massachusetts". The American Architect. Vol. 97. May 11, 1910. Holyoke-...Architect Oscar Beauchemin has completed plans for block to be erected at Dwight St. and Clinton Ave. for Doryle Gauthier
17. HLY.322, Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS)
18. "Building Permits". Springfield Daily News. Springfield, Mass. May 10, 1912. p. 6. Permits to build were granted as follows by the Building Department today: A. Choiniere and A. Beauregard, eight-apartment house at corner of North Main and Eagle streets, at an estimated cost of $23,000, from plans by Oscar Beauchemin of Holyoke
19. "Building News-Massachusetts". American Architect and Architecture. Vol. 102. 1912. p. 10. Holyoke--Oscar Beauchemin, the architect, whose offices are in the City Bank Building, is preparing plans for a new 5-story block to be erected by Frank Pelott, of 298 Chestnut St.
20. "PELOTT". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. June 4, 1937. p. 4. At Upton, Mass., the 2d, Frank Pelott of 319 Chestnut street, Holyoke. Funeral at the Dillon funeral parlors, Holyoke, Saturday at 8:30 a. m. Solemn high mass of requiem at Sacred Heart church at 9. Burial in Calvary cemetery
21. "Private Buildings". Engineering Record. Vol. 73. McGraw Publishing. April 15, 1916. p. 182. Holyoke, Mass.--Plans completed by Oscar Beauchemin, Senior Bldg., for five-story apartment house to be erectted at Walnut and Essex Streets for John B. Beauvais: cost about $60,000. Contract about to be let for remodeling and enlarging moving-picture theater on Main Street for Bijou Theater Co.; cost about $65,0000. Oscar Beauchemin, Archt., Senior Building
22. "Bijou Theatre". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
23. HLY.240, MACRIS, Massachusetts Historical Commission.
24. HLY.368, MACRIS, Massachusetts Historical Commission.
25. "Favored Building Hall". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Mass. March 24, 1913. p. 12. The Knights of Columbus building committee met yesterday afternoon and decided to recommend at the meeting of the council to-morrow evening that the plans of Architect Oscar Beauchemin be adopted for the proposed home which will be erected at the corner of Suffolk and Chestnut streets
26. "Holyoke". Springfield Union. Springfield, Mass. March 30, 1915. p. 13. A permit was issued at the office of the city engineer today to M. A. Scannell for the erection of a two-story frame house at the corner of Nonotuck and Elliott Streets. Oscar Beauchemin is the architect and the structure will cost $5000
27. HLY.1036, MACRIS, Massachusetts Historical Commission.
28. "Res[idence]". The American Contractor. April 22, 1916. p. 56. $15,000, 2 sty. 46x32. South Hadley, Mass. Archt. Oscar Beauchemin...Owner Dennis M. Reardon, 109 Ely St.