The expansion of the district from its original boundaries is necessary because the 1980 National Register nomination does not reflect the contribution of many post- 1930 buildings to the commercial development of Hammond. The expanded district also includes a contributing resource that is not a building; it is a monument, erected in 1908 to honor a Hammond Resident who died while saving a child from being struck by a train.

For this nomination, the Louisiana SHPO chose to reference the original 1980 National Register Listing only. Previous additional documentation in 1994 and a boundary increase in 2002 contain discrepancies. The goal for approaching the district expansion in this manner is to clear up confusion with regard to boundaries and clarify resource status and counts using the newly extended period of significance. The 2002 update was referenced, though, for a section on the history of Hammond.

The purpose of this addendum is to expand the boundaries of the Hammond Historic District to reflect the current 50 year cutoff (1952) and to add local historical significance because of downtown Hammond's role as a major center of commerce for Tangipahoa Parish. The present nomination documents only local architectural significance. The new period of significance (under Criterion A) will extend to 1952 because downtown Hammond remained a major focus of commerce until c.1960.

The Division of Historic Preservation was already aware that the boundaries of the Hammond district "did not make sense" in terms of today's view of what is historic. The immediate catalyst for the expansion was a proposed tax credit project on 114 North Cypress (#96), a 1930s building immediately outside the boundaries. 114 North Cypress is one of four 193Os/1940s commercial buildings on North Cypress not included in the district. In fact, the boundary line was drawn very irregularly to "reach in" and exclude them (see map) - again, based on what was considered historic in 1979. The historic building at 111 East Morris (#102) was 50 years old at the time of the original submission; it must have been overlooked.

The proposed historic district of Hammond encompasses fifteen square blocks and is located in the geographical center of modern Hammond. The boundaries were chosen to encompass only the commercial area of the town with structures dating from approximately 1880-1930. These boundaries are visually distinct due to the contrast between the older commercial area the modern commercial structures which have infiltrated the borders.

Within the district, there is a strong unity of architectural style with the majority of structures being two-storied and built of brick. Most of the ornamentation on the structures is also of brick which has been positioned to give decorative relief and texture to the facades.

The district is dominated by the railroad corridor, which runs 30° west 'of a true north-south bearing and claims a 150-foot right-of-way. The dominance of this corridor is indicative of the importance the railroad once played in the development of the town. From this space, one receives views of the town that reveal the predominant flatness of the landscape. The majority of the buildings in the district cluster on either side of the broad and open railroad corridor and Thomas Street. This street runs perpendicular to the railroad and conforms with the grid pattern of the original 1860’s street layout which was formed around the railroad tracks.