Rossman-Prospect Avenue Historic District
Encyclopedia
The Rossman-Prospect Avenue Historic District is a small residential neighborhood located near the eastern end of the city of Hudson
, New York, United States. Its houses were primarily built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is the smaller of the city's two historic districts
.
The area was developed when the city built an aqueduct
through land owned by the Rossman family for a reservoir. It was the first planned residential subdivision in the city outside its large downtown grid plan
. In 1985 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
near the reservoir, have a view over the city to the Hudson River
and Catskill Escarpment
to the southwest. To the north is Columbia Memorial Hospital and, beyond, the large Hudson Historic District
. The reservoir and its wooded buffer lands are on the west and south. East of the district is the residential end of Warren Street, Hudson's main street, and US 9.
Its boundaries include some of the houses on the south side of Prospect east of Rossman, and both sides of Rossman up to where the houses end. There are 12 lots
in total with 14 contributing properties
. Two other garages
are modern and non-contributing. The houses are in a variety of styles
popular before and after the turn of the 20th century, such as Queen Anne
, Colonial Revival
, Craftsman Bungalow and Tudorbethan
.
of Allen Rossman, formerly county treasurer and a director
of a local bank. Hudson was growing quickly during this time, and began experiencing frequent water shortages. The city government decided in 1874 to pump water from the river up to a reservoir behind Prospect Hill, and condemned
a right-of-way for the aqueduct through Rossman's property.
He donated enough extra land for a street 50 feet (15.2 m) wide to be built atop the aqueduct, and began planting trees and subdividing the property into 13 lots. The first house, 11 Rossman Avenue, would not be built until 1887. Rossman died soon afterwards, and his descendants sold some of the other lots on the west side of the street during the 1890s. Many of these were Queen Anne
Style, with restrained decoration similar to that found elsewhere in Hudson.
The lots on the east side were developed in the early 20th century. Many of these houses show the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement
, particularly the bungalows. These were unusually sophisticated applications of the style, with Federal and Georgian
-inspired detailing. The last two houses to be built in the district, 2 and 4 Rossman (the latter built as a residence for the hospital superintendent), were Tudorbethan-style English country houses, a mode not seen much elsewhere in Hudson.
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
, New York, United States. Its houses were primarily built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is the smaller of the city's two historic districts
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...
.
The area was developed when the city built an aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
through land owned by the Rossman family for a reservoir. It was the first planned residential subdivision in the city outside its large downtown grid plan
Grid plan
The grid plan, grid street plan or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid...
. In 1985 it 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...
.
Geography
The district is a five-acre (2 ha) area along the two streets it takes its name from. It is on the slopes of Academy Hill, sometimes called Prospect Hill, the city's highest at 420 feet (128 m). Houses on Rossman, which climbs the hill to a dead endDead End
Dead End is a 1937 crime drama film. It is an adaptation of the Sidney Kingsley 1935 Broadway play of the same name. It stars Humphrey Bogart, Joel McCrea, and Sylvia Sidney...
near the reservoir, have a view over the city to the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and Catskill Escarpment
Catskill Escarpment
The Catskill Escarpment, often referred to locally as just the Escarpment or the Great Wall of Manitou, and known as the Catskill Front to geologists, is the range forming the northeastern corner of the Catskill Mountains in Greene and Ulster counties in the U.S. state of New York...
to the southwest. To the north is Columbia Memorial Hospital and, beyond, the large Hudson Historic District
Hudson Historic District (New York)
The Hudson Historic District includes most of downtown Hudson, New York, United States, once called "one of the richest dictionaries of architectural history in New York State". It is a area stretching from the city's waterfront on the east bank of the Hudson River to almost its eastern boundary,...
. The reservoir and its wooded buffer lands are on the west and south. East of the district is the residential end of Warren Street, Hudson's main street, and US 9.
Its boundaries include some of the houses on the south side of Prospect east of Rossman, and both sides of Rossman up to where the houses end. There are 12 lots
Lot (real estate)
In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner. A lot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property in other countries...
in total with 14 contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
. Two other garages
Garage (house)
A residential garage is part of a home, or an associated building, designed or used for storing a vehicle or vehicles. In some places the term is used synonymously with "carport", though that term normally describes a structure that is not completely enclosed.- British residential garages:Those...
are modern and non-contributing. The houses are in a variety of styles
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
popular before and after the turn of the 20th century, such as Queen Anne
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
, Colonial Revival
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...
, Craftsman Bungalow and Tudorbethan
Tudorbethan architecture
The Tudor Revival architecture of the 20th century , first manifested itself in domestic architecture beginning in the United Kingdom in the mid to late 19th century based on a revival of aspects of Tudor style. It later became an influence in some other countries, especially the British colonies...
.
History
In the middle of the 19th century the entire area was the estateEstate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
of Allen Rossman, formerly county treasurer and a director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of a local bank. Hudson was growing quickly during this time, and began experiencing frequent water shortages. The city government decided in 1874 to pump water from the river up to a reservoir behind Prospect Hill, and condemned
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
a right-of-way for the aqueduct through Rossman's property.
He donated enough extra land for a street 50 feet (15.2 m) wide to be built atop the aqueduct, and began planting trees and subdividing the property into 13 lots. The first house, 11 Rossman Avenue, would not be built until 1887. Rossman died soon afterwards, and his descendants sold some of the other lots on the west side of the street during the 1890s. Many of these were Queen Anne
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
Style, with restrained decoration similar to that found elsewhere in Hudson.
The lots on the east side were developed in the early 20th century. Many of these houses show the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
, particularly the bungalows. These were unusually sophisticated applications of the style, with Federal and Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
-inspired detailing. The last two houses to be built in the district, 2 and 4 Rossman (the latter built as a residence for the hospital superintendent), were Tudorbethan-style English country houses, a mode not seen much elsewhere in Hudson.