National Register of Historic Places

The City of Westfield in fortunate to have 11 properties and 1 district currently listed in the National Register of Historical Places.

The National Register of Historic Places (National Register) is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation. Having a property on the National Register makes its owners eligible for tax incentives for expenses incurred preserving the property if they are offered by the local taxing districts.

The passage of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966 established the National Register and the process for adding properties to it. Of the more than one million properties on the National Register, 80,000 are listed individually. The remainder are contributing members within historic districts. Each year approximately 30,000 properties are added to the National Register as part of districts or through individual listings.

For most of its history the National Register has been administered by the National Park Service (NPS), an agency within the United States Department of the Interior. Its goals are to help property owners and groups, such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, coordinate, identify, and protect historic sites in the United States.

The Westfield Historical Commission has received a grant from the Community Preservation Commission to place permanent signs on these distinctive properties to identify them to the residents of the City of Westfield as historically notable locations. The Commission has designed 12 inch bronze signage to be placed in a prominent place on each building, In this way the distinctive nature of the structure will be made known to the public. This project recognizes, reserves and enhances the historic heritage of the City of Westfield in its entirety, and optimizes the use and enjoyment of the city's historic resources by residents and visitors.

Westfield National Historic Register

Westfield has 12 historical sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Landlord Fowler, Tavern - 171 Main Street
• State Normal School - Westfield Municipal Building - 59 Court Street
• State Normal Training School - Washington Street
• Van Deusen, H.M. Whip Company - 42 Arnold Street
• Watson-Steiger-Loomis Octagon House - 28 King Street
• Westfield Whip Manufacturing Company - 360 Elm Street
• Old Burying Ground - Mechanic Street Cemetery
• United States Whip Company Complex - 24 Main Street
• Dewey House = 87 South Maple Street
• Prospect Hill School - 33 Montgomery Street
• Sanford Whip Factory - 330 Elm Street
• Westfield Business District