City Hall Park Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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City Hall Park Historic District
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The Burlington Savings Bank Building
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Church, College, Main and St. Paul Sts., Burlington, Vermont |
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| Area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Architectural style | Mixed (more Than 2 Styles From Different Periods), Romanesque, Sullivanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003206 |
| Added to NRHP | June 9, 1983 |
The City Hall Park Historic District is a very important area in Burlington, Vermont. It's where people have gathered for business, city events, and public fun for many years. This special district shows how Burlington grew from a small frontier town into a busy city. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, which means it's a place worth protecting for its history.
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Discovering City Hall Park
City Hall Park is right in the middle of downtown Burlington. You can find it at the end of the popular Church Street Marketplace. The park takes up most of a city block. On its eastern side, buildings separate the park from Church Street.
What You'll See in the Park
The park itself has paths that spread out from a fountain in the center. It's mostly green, with grassy areas and lots of trees. The three buildings on the east side face Church Street. But they also have nice fronts that look towards the park.
The biggest building there is Burlington City Hall. It was built in 1928. This building has a grand style, mixing old Greek and Roman looks with a more classic American home style.
Buildings Around the Park
The park is surrounded by streets called Main Street, St. Paul Street, and College Street. Along these streets, you'll see many commercial buildings. Most of them are three stories tall and made of brick. They were built between 1880 and 1930.
One of the most beautiful buildings is the Burlington Savings Bank Building. It's at the corner of College and St. Paul. This bank was built in 1900. It has a fancy design inspired by the Renaissance period.
Not all buildings next to the park are part of this historic district. Some on the west side are in a different historic area called the Wells-Richardson Complex. However, some older buildings on the west side of Church Street, south of Main, are included. These buildings show a wider mix of styles. Some even date back to the early 1800s.
How City Hall Park Grew
City Hall Park was first called Court House Square. It was created in the late 1700s. It was placed about halfway between the waterfront and the early business area on College Hill. This spot was likely chosen to please different business owners. It also provided a flat space for a public park.
The area grew very quickly in the early to mid-1800s. This happened after the Champlain Canal opened. The canal helped trade and business boom in Burlington. Many of the buildings you see today replaced older wooden ones from that time. Most of the current buildings were built between 1890 and 1915, and again in the 1920s.
