Prospect Hill Historic District (New Haven, Connecticut)
Encyclopedia
The Prospect Hill Historic District is an irregularly-shaped 185 acres (74.9 ha) historic district
in New Haven, Connecticut
. The district encompasses most of the residential portion of the Prospect Hill
neighborhood.
The district includes two U.S. National Historic Landmark
properties which are separately listed on the National Register: the Othniel C. Marsh House
and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
.
The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1979. In 1979, it included 238 buildings deemed to contribute to the historic character of the area.
The district is significant primarily for its architecture. It includes major collections of Queen Anne architecture, Shingle Style architecture
, Colonial Revival architecture
, and Tudor Revival architecture. Numerous other styles are also represented.
Architects and firms represented include Boston's Peabody and Stearns
and R. Clipston Sturgis; New York's Grosvenor Atterbury
, Don Barber
, J.C. Cady & Co., George S. Chappell, Delano & Aldrich, Ewing & Chappell, James Gamble Rogers
, Rossiter & Muller, and Heathcote Woolsey; Philadelphia's Mantle Fielding
; Connecticut's Henry Austin
and numerous others.
Selected contributing properties in the district are:
Non-contributing properties include:
In 2002, application was made for a building that was located at 285 Prospect Street to be moved to Edwards Street, while retaining its contributing building status. It is a building designed by R. Clipston Sturgis. It was approved.
neighborhood. The district borders are drawn irregularly to exclude modern construction, and also to exclude properties fronting Whitney Avenue, which are included in the Whitney Avenue Historic District
. It excludes the entire area of the Hillhouse Avenue Historic District, an area that was originally residential, and now is mostly Yale University-owned, and which included within the official neighborhood planning maps for Prospect Hill. The historic district also excludes the Edgerton
historic district, the New Haven portion of which has been included in the official neighborhood planning maps for Prospect Hill.
Among other exclusions, the district excludes Yale University's relatively modern buildings on Science Hill. It excludes several Yale graduate student housing facilities (the Whitehall Apartment Complex, the Mansfield Apartments, and the Esplanade Apartments), while at 352 Canner Street, the district includes four dormitory buildings of the Yale Divinity School
.
The district extends to the south to include historic houses that are now Yale offices along the west side of Prospect Street south of Hillside Place.
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. The district encompasses most of the residential portion of the Prospect Hill
Prospect Hill (New Haven)
Prospect Hill is a neighborhood of the city of New Haven, Connecticut located in the north central portion of the city, directly north of Downtown New Haven. The neighborhood contains residences, institutional buildings of Albertus Magnus University and a portion of the main campus of Yale...
neighborhood.
The district includes two U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
properties which are separately listed on the National Register: the Othniel C. Marsh House
Othniel C. Marsh House
Marsh Hall, formally known as Othniel C. Marsh House, is a historic house at 360 Prospect Street on Prospect Hill in New Haven, Connecticut. The property, which includes the house and a area, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965....
and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is the Connecticut state government's agricultural experiment station, a state government component that engages in scientific research and public outreach in agriculture and related fields. It is the oldest state experiment station in the United...
.
The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1979. In 1979, it included 238 buildings deemed to contribute to the historic character of the area.
The district is significant primarily for its architecture. It includes major collections of Queen Anne architecture, Shingle Style architecture
Shingle Style architecture
The Shingle style is an American architectural style made popular by the rise of the New England school of architecture, which eschewed the highly ornamented patterns of the Eastlake style in Queen Anne architecture....
, Colonial Revival architecture
Colonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
, and Tudor Revival architecture. Numerous other styles are also represented.
Architects and firms represented include Boston's Peabody and Stearns
Peabody and Stearns
Peabody & Stearns was a premier architectural firm in the Eastern United States in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the firm consisted of Robert Swain Peabody and John Goddard Stearns, Jr...
and R. Clipston Sturgis; New York's Grosvenor Atterbury
Grosvenor Atterbury
Grosvenor Atterbury was an American architect, urban planner and writer. He studied at Yale University and then travelled in Europe. He studied architecture at Columbia University and worked in the offices of McKim, Mead & White. Much of Atterbury’s early work consisted of weekend houses for...
, Don Barber
Don Barber
Donald Barber is a retired National Hockey League forward. He played in 115 games with the Minnesota North Stars and Winnipeg Jets. He scored 25 goals and 32 assists.-External links:...
, J.C. Cady & Co., George S. Chappell, Delano & Aldrich, Ewing & Chappell, James Gamble Rogers
James Gamble Rogers
James Gamble Rogers was an American architect best known for his academic commissions at Yale University, Columbia University, Northwestern University, and elsewhere....
, Rossiter & Muller, and Heathcote Woolsey; Philadelphia's Mantle Fielding
Mantle Fielding
Mantle Fielding was an American architect and biographical compiler.Born in New York City, Fielding graduated from Germantown Academy in 1883 and studied architecture at MIT. He became an architect in Philadelphia...
; Connecticut's Henry Austin
Henry Austin (architect)
Henry Austin was a prominent and prolific American architect based in New Haven, Connecticut. He practiced for more than fifty years and designed many public buildings and homes primarily in the New Haven area...
and numerous others.
Selected contributing properties in the district are:
- Anna L. Graves House, a Queen Anne c. 1890 house at 35 Autumn Street
- Silk House, Colonial RevivalColonial Revival architectureThe Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
, c. 1915, at 75 Autumn Street, designed by architects Brown & VanBeren - 152, 166 and 180 East Rock Road, three Shingle styleShingle Style architectureThe Shingle style is an American architectural style made popular by the rise of the New England school of architecture, which eschewed the highly ornamented patterns of the Eastlake style in Queen Anne architecture....
houses - 259-61, 262, 266, 269, 270-272, and 278 Canner Street, six Colonial RevivalColonial Revival architectureThe Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
houses, c. 1900-1910 - Celentano Public School, 370 Canner Street, VictoriaVictorian architectureThe term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
, originally built as Yale's first observatoryObservatoryAn observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed... - 80 Cliff Street, a Queen Anne house, c. 1890
- Ellsworth Foote House at 145 East Rock Road, and 152, 166, 180 East Rock Road, four Shingle Style houses
- 149 and 156 East Rock Road, two Queen Anne houses
- 237 East Rock Road, Colonial RevivalColonial Revival architectureThe Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
with FederalFederal architectureFederal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
details, c. 1910, former home of Yale University president A. Whitney Griswold - Othniel C. Marsh HouseOthniel C. Marsh HouseMarsh Hall, formally known as Othniel C. Marsh House, is a historic house at 360 Prospect Street on Prospect Hill in New Haven, Connecticut. The property, which includes the house and a area, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965....
, designed by J.C. Cady & Co. - Connecticut Agricultural Experiment StationConnecticut Agricultural Experiment StationThe Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is the Connecticut state government's agricultural experiment station, a state government component that engages in scientific research and public outreach in agriculture and related fields. It is the oldest state experiment station in the United...
Non-contributing properties include:
- four Yale Divinity School dormitories at 352 Canner Street, from 1957, whose "economically designed modern blocks contrast with the neighborhood character"
In 2002, application was made for a building that was located at 285 Prospect Street to be moved to Edwards Street, while retaining its contributing building status. It is a building designed by R. Clipston Sturgis. It was approved.
Relationship to neighborhoods
The historic district includes most of New Haven's Prospect HillProspect Hill (New Haven)
Prospect Hill is a neighborhood of the city of New Haven, Connecticut located in the north central portion of the city, directly north of Downtown New Haven. The neighborhood contains residences, institutional buildings of Albertus Magnus University and a portion of the main campus of Yale...
neighborhood. The district borders are drawn irregularly to exclude modern construction, and also to exclude properties fronting Whitney Avenue, which are included in the Whitney Avenue Historic District
Whitney Avenue Historic District
__notoc__The Whitney Avenue Historic District is a historic district in New Haven, Connecticut. It is a district which included 1,084 contributing buildings when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989....
. It excludes the entire area of the Hillhouse Avenue Historic District, an area that was originally residential, and now is mostly Yale University-owned, and which included within the official neighborhood planning maps for Prospect Hill. The historic district also excludes the Edgerton
Edgerton
-Places:United Kingdom*Edgerton, Huddersfield, West YorkshireUnited States*Edgerton , listed on the National Register of Historic Places*Edgerton, Indiana*Edgerton, Kansas*Edgerton, Minnesota*Edgerton, Missouri...
historic district, the New Haven portion of which has been included in the official neighborhood planning maps for Prospect Hill.
Among other exclusions, the district excludes Yale University's relatively modern buildings on Science Hill. It excludes several Yale graduate student housing facilities (the Whitehall Apartment Complex, the Mansfield Apartments, and the Esplanade Apartments), while at 352 Canner Street, the district includes four dormitory buildings of the Yale Divinity School
Yale Divinity School
Yale Divinity School is a professional school at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. preparing students for ordained or lay ministry, or for the academy...
.
The district extends to the south to include historic houses that are now Yale offices along the west side of Prospect Street south of Hillside Place.
External links
- Prospect Hill Historic District, New Haven Preservation Trust website (text excerpt from NRHP nomination, plus gallery of 12 photos)