Heritage Hill Historic District (Grand Rapids, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Heritage Hill Historic District
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| Location | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
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| Architect | Frank Lloyd Wright; Multiple |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Greek Revival, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000399 |
| Added to NRHP | March 11, 1971 |
- Heritage Hill is also a state park in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Heritage Hill is a special neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It's known for its many old and beautiful homes. This area is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's actually one of the biggest historic neighborhoods in the entire United States!
You can find Heritage Hill right next to downtown Grand Rapids. It's bordered by Crescent Street to the north, Union Avenue to the east, Pleasant Street to the south, and Lafayette Avenue to the west. In 2012, the American Planning Association even called Heritage Hill one of the "Great Places in America."
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Discovering Heritage Hill's Homes
Heritage Hill is the oldest neighborhood in Grand Rapids where people still live. It has about 1,300 homes, with the oldest ones built way back in 1843! This collection of houses is the largest and best example of 19th and early 20th-century homes in Michigan.
Architectural Styles You'll See
Almost every type of American house style is found here. You can see homes built in the Greek Revival style, which looks like ancient Greek temples. There are also Italianate homes, which often have tall windows and decorative eaves. You might spot Colonial Revival houses, which bring back older American styles, or even grand Chateauesque homes that look like French castles!
Other styles include Queen Anne homes with their turrets and fancy decorations, and Shingle Style houses covered in wooden shingles. In fact, there are over 50 different architectural styles in this neighborhood! One very special house was designed by a famous architect named Frank Lloyd Wright. It's a Prairie Style house built between 1908 and 1909.
Who Lived Here?
These amazing houses were once home to important people who helped shape Grand Rapids. This included "lumber barons" (people who made a lot of money from the timber industry), teachers, judges, and even lawmakers. Today, about 4,400 people live in Heritage Hill, which covers an area of about 3,500 acres (about 14 square kilometers).
The Story of Heritage Hill
In the 1960s, there were plans to tear down a lot of the old buildings in Grand Rapids, including up to 75% of the Heritage Hill neighborhood. This was part of something called "urban renewal," which aimed to modernize cities.
Saving the Neighborhood
However, the people living in Heritage Hill didn't want their historic homes destroyed. They protested and came together to form the Heritage Hill Association in 1968. These residents went to court and successfully stopped the demolition of their historic properties. They used a law called the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act. This was a big deal because it was the first time this law was successfully used to protect an entire neighborhood's unique character!
Heritage Hill Today
Today, the Heritage Hill Association continues to help neighbors work together. They focus on keeping the community healthy and preserving its history. They deal with things like how land is used, safety, keeping the historic buildings safe, parking, traffic, and education.
Heritage Hill was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places and the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites in 1971. This recognition helps protect its special character.
Lost Homes and Special Tours
Before Heritage Hill became a protected historic district, some homes were sadly torn down. One famous house that was lost belonged to Melville R. Bissell, who invented the carpet sweeper, and his wife Anna. Today, a TV station, WOOD-TV Channel 8, stands where their house used to be.
Every May, the Heritage Hill Association hosts a special Home Tour weekend. During this event, you can actually go inside some of the beautiful historic homes. The Association also offers self-guided walking tours that you can take anytime to explore the neighborhood from the outside.
Well-Preserved Beauty
Even though some areas nearby have changed, Heritage Hill has stayed very well preserved. The homes in the area are a great example of how well the community has worked to keep its history alive.
Notable Historic Sites
Here are some of the famous historic homes you can find in Heritage Hill:
- Meyer May House
- David M Amberg House
- Voigt House
- McCabe-Marlowe House
