Fair Haven Heights, New Haven facts for kids
Fair Haven Heights, often called the Heights, is a cool neighborhood in the eastern part of New Haven, Connecticut. It's located right next to the Quinnipiac River. This area is mostly homes, but it also has some light industry. Don't mix it up with the Fair Haven neighborhood, which is on the other side of the river.
The Heights is bordered by the Quinnipiac River to the west and Route 80 to the north. To the east, it touches the town of East Haven. To the south, you'll find Ferry Street and Warwick Avenue. Main roads like Quinnipiac Avenue, East Grand Avenue, and Eastern Street run through the neighborhood.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Fair Haven Heights
From Dragon to Fair Haven Heights
Fair Haven Heights started way back in the 1700s as a small village. It was known as Dragon, and people there mostly fished and collected oysters. Dragon was first located where the Ferry Street Bridge crosses the Quinnipiac River today. Even before that, Native American groups lived in the same spot.
Some stories say the name Dragon came from sailors. They told tales of "sea dragons" (which were probably seals) resting on the sandy land. Others believe early white settlers heard the Native American word for harbor seals, and it sounded like "dragon" to them.
Oysters: A Big Part of the Past
For a long time, even for the Quinnipiac Indians, oysters were super important. They were a major food source and a big business for the community. This oyster industry helped the neighborhood become successful in the 1800s.
Over time, Dragon grew to include the eastern side of the river, which used to be part of East Haven. Because much of this new area was on a big, wooded hill, it became known as the Heights. In 1824, both Dragon and the area across the river (called Neck then) became known as Fair Haven.
Later, in 1870, the Neck joined New Haven. It wasn't until 1881 that the Heights officially became part of New Haven, after being connected with East Haven for a while.
Quarries and Parks
In the 1800s, there were several brownstone quarries in the Heights. These quarries were along Russell Street, in the rocky, wooded area behind the New Haven Friends (Quaker) Meeting House. Today, Quarry Park Preserve still has parts of these old quarry operations.
Fair Haven Heights Today
A Diverse Community
Today, Fair Haven Heights is a neighborhood with a mix of people and homes. You can find fancy condominiums along the Quinnipiac River. There are also smaller, cozy homes along Grand Avenue. At the top of the hill, you'll see public housing areas.
The people living here come from different backgrounds. Many residents are Italian-American, Puerto Rican, and African-American.
Local Churches and Faith Groups
There are two large, old churches on Grand Avenue. One church is shared by an Episcopalian group (St. James Episcopal Church) and an Independent Catholic Parish (St. Joseph of Arimathea Independent Catholic Church). The other church is Congregational. Also, the New Haven Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) moved their Meeting House to Grand Avenue in the 1990s.
Oysters Make a Comeback
Good news for the Quinnipiac River! Since the 1990s, the water quality has gotten much better. This means that oystering, a big part of the area's history, has returned to the river.
Local Government Representation
Fair Haven Heights is part of State Senate District 11 and State Assembly District 97. It's also in Aldermanic Ward 13. Currently, Senator Martin Looney, Representative Al Paolillo, and Alder Rosa Santana represent the area. They are all Democrats.
Neighborhood Architecture
Homes from the Past
Originally, the Heights was mostly open fields and woods. But in the 1700s and 1800s, many homes were built here in the Victorian Gothic style. Successful business people built large, impressive homes high above the river. You can find these spacious houses on streets like East Grand Avenue, Clifton Street, Sherland Avenue, Lenox Street, and Quinnipiac Avenue.
Famous Homes and Their Stories
- The Babcock Home: James F. Babcock, a lawyer and newspaper publisher, built a huge Victorian Gothic home on about 30 acres of land. This was between East Grand Avenue and Clifton Street. The address today is 89 Sherland Avenue. Later, the house was changed, and two more homes were built. It has cool arched woodwork and high gables.
- The Moody Family Home: On the southern part of what was the Babcock estate, at 154 East Grand Avenue, stands the Victorian Gothic home of the Moody family. Lucius Moody was a successful insurance agent. His wife, Dr. Mary Blair Moody, was the first woman doctor in this area! This house has sharp gables, porches, and decorative woodwork.
- Victorian Gothic Cottages: You can still see two Victorian Gothic cottages at 106 and 112 Sherland Avenue.
- The Ives Home: The Charles Ives home was first built on Clifton Street, on land that is now Fairmont Park. Charles Ives was a lawyer and a member of the Connecticut General Assembly. His Victorian Gothic home was designed by Rufus Russell. In the early 1920s, the city bought the Ives property to create Fairmont Park. The Ives' home was moved across the street and turned into two two-family homes (151-153 and 159-161 Clifton Street).
- Greek Revival Homes: Further down Clifton Street, at 80 and 84, you'll find two Greek Revival homes.
- The Henry Lancraft House: This house on Lenox Street was built in the Victorian Gothic style. The Lancraft brothers were builders and oystermen in the late 1800s.
- The Foote-Chamberlain House: At 61 East Grand Avenue, you'll find the Foote-Chamberlain house. It was built in the 1830s in the Italian Villa style. It sits above a stone wall with an iron fence. In the late 1800s, it was updated with a veranda and other cool features.
- Homes on Quinnipiac Avenue: All along Quinnipiac Avenue, you can see homes built by families involved in the oyster business, banking, and food supply. The Barnes Victorian Gothic home is at 1212 Quinnipiac Avenue. At 965 Quinnipiac Avenue, there's a home built by Willet Hemingway in the late 1840s. It was later updated to the Victorian Carpenter Gothic style. This bright pink house, at the corner of Hemingway Street and Quinnipiac Avenue, is a helpful landmark in the neighborhood!
Notable Sites
- Benjamin Jepson Magnet School
- Grand Avenue Bridge
- Quinnipiac Middle School
List of Streets
- 1st Avenue
- Aner Street
- Clifton Street
- East Grand Avenue
- Eastern Circle
- Eastern Street
- Eldridge Street
- Essex Street
- Fairmont Avenue
- Foxon Boulevard/Foxon Road
- Foxon Street
- Grand Avenue
- Hemmingway Street
- Highview Lane
- Howard Street
- Hulse Street
- Judith Terence
- Kingswood Drive
- Leila Street
- Lenox Street
- Lexington Avenue/Lexington Terence
- Marie Street
- Mountain Top Lane
- Oxford Street
- Pequot Street
- Pine Street
- Quinnipiac Avenue
- Revere Court/Revere Street
- Rock Hill Road
- Rosewood Avenue
- Runo Terence
- Russell Street
- Russo Avenue
- Sherland Avenue
- Skyview Lane
- Summit Street
- Welcome Street
- Woodhill Road
