Francis Street–Fenwood Road Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Francis Street–Fenwood Road Historic District
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Francis Street, Fenwood Road, St. Albans Road, Longwood, Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Built | 1898 |
| Architect | Wheelwright & Haven; and others |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 16000409 |
| Added to NRHP | June 23, 2016 |
The Francis Street–Fenwood Road Historic District is a special neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts. It's like a time capsule from the early 1900s. This area was built when people started using streetcars to get around. These neighborhoods are called "streetcar suburbs."
This historic district is found in the Longwood part of Boston. It is bordered by streets like Huntington Avenue, Francis Street, and Fenwood Road. The district has many different buildings. You can find houses for two or three families, apartment buildings, a school, and even a shop. All these buildings were built before the big medical centers took over the Longwood area. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. This means it is a place important to American history.
Exploring the District's History
The Longwood area began to grow in the late 1800s. This happened when Huntington Avenue was extended in 1882. Also, marshy lands near the Muddy River were filled in. Then, in 1889, the streetcar line was extended. This line is now part of the MBTA Green Line E branch.
Huntington Avenue used to have large family estates. But the land west of Francis Street was empty until 1897. Within just ten years, almost all of this land was built up. It became a busy neighborhood.
What You'll See in the District
The largest buildings in the district are along Huntington Avenue. These include two brick apartment buildings. They are at 777-779 Huntington and were built in 1916. They are in the Classical Revival style.
You will also see the L-shaped Farragut School building. It was built in 1903 and is also in the Classical Revival style. There is also a building between Fenwood and Francis Streets that has both shops and homes.
Between Huntington and Vining Avenue, Francis and Fenwood streets have many two- and three-family houses. Most of these homes mix the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles. They all have a similar size and are set back from the street in the same way. Many of their original features have been kept or restored. Most of these houses are made of wood. Only a few are built from brick.
