Massachusetts Street

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Lawrence's Downtown Historic District | nrhp_type = hd | nocat = yes | image = File:Massachusetts Street in downtown Lawrence, Kansas.jpg | caption = Massachusetts Street looking south, 2014 | location = Along Massachusetts between Sixth and South Park Streets, Lawrence, Kansas | coordinates = {{coord|38|57|59|N|95|14|10|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Kansas#USA | architect = Multiple | architecture = Late Victorian, Neoclassical architecture | added = July 15, 2004 | area = {{Convert|48.1|acre}} | mpsub = {{NRHP url|id=64500220|title=Lawrence, Kansas MPS}} | refnum = 04000685<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> }}

'''Massachusetts Street''' (often referred to colloquially as either '''Mass Street''' or '''Mass''') is the main street that runs through the central business district of downtown Lawrence, Kansas. It begins just south of the Kansas River at Sixth Street and continues south until reaching Haskell Indian Nations University. The street was given its name by members of the New England Emigrant Aid Company, most of whom were from the state of Massachusetts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About the City|url=http://www.lawrenceks.org/about|publisher=City of Lawrence|work=LawrenceKS.org|accessdate=2014-05-29}}</ref> In 2014, Mass Street was named the most popular tourist attraction in Kansas by TripAdvisor.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Most Popular Tourist Attractions in All 50 States, According to TripAdvisor|url=http://parade.condenast.com/297176/viannguyen/the-most-popular-tourist-attraction-in-all-50-states-according-to-tripadvisor/4/|first=Vi-An|last=Nguyen|publisher=Parade Publications|website=Parade.Condenast.com|date=2014-05-24|accessdate=2014-05-29}}</ref>

The 600 through 1200 block of Massachusetts is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places under Lawrence's Historical District. Most of the buildings were built between 1856 and 1953. Listed separately under the National Register are the Eldridge Hotel, the Douglas County Courthouse and Watkins National Bank (now Watkins Community Museum). Other listings along Mass Street but not located downtown are the Breezedale Historic District, the Goodrich House, the Edward House House, the Mackie House and the Roberts House (now the Castle Tea Room that was designed by Kansas State Capitol architect John G. Haskell).

Other historic businesses and sites of interest along Massachusetts Street are Liberty Hall, the Free State Brewing Company (Kansas' first legal brewery in over 100 years),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Free State - About|url=http://freestatebrewing.com/about|publisher=The Free State Brewing Company|accessdate=June 3, 2011|archive-date=April 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414222942/http://freestatebrewing.com/about|url-status=dead}}</ref> the Round Corner Pharmacy (which was the longest-running pharmacy in the state until closing in 2009),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Round Corner Drug, Cheese Shoppe closes|url=http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/jul/08/round-corner-drug-cheese-shoppe-closing-good-6-ton/|first=Mark|last=Fagan|publisher=The World Company|work=LJWorld.com|date=July 8, 2009|accessdate=June 3, 2011}}</ref> the House Building (the only downtown building to survive Quantrill's Raid), the Replay Lounge, the Granada (a former theater and popular music venue), South Park (a city park established when Lawrence was founded in 1854), and Liberty Memorial Central Middle School (located in a former high school built in 1923).

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Lawrence, Kansas Category:Transportation in Kansas Category:Streets in Kansas Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Kansas Category:National Register of Historic Places in Douglas County, Kansas