Jonathan Child House & Brewster–Burke House Historic District Facts for Kids


Jonathan Child House & Brewster-Burke House Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district

The front of the Jonathan Child House in June 2010
Location in New York Show map of New York Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	37 S. Washington St. and 130 Spring St., Rochester, New York
Area	less than one acre
Built	1837
Architect	Bragdon, Claude; Et al.
Architectural style	Greek Revival, Italianate
NRHP reference No.	71000543
Added to NRHP	February 18, 1971

The Jonathan Child House & Brewster–Burke House Historic District is a special area in Rochester, New York. It's home to two very old and important houses: the Jonathan Child House and the Brewster–Burke House. These houses are protected because they show us what buildings looked like a long time ago. They are part of a "historic district," which means they are recognized for their history and special architecture.

The Jonathan Child House
- What does it look like?
- What was it used for?
The Brewster–Burke House
- What makes it special?
Historic Recognition
Images for kids

The Jonathan Child House

The Jonathan Child House is located at 37 South Washington Street. It was built between 1837 and 1838. This house was once the home of Jonathan Child (1785–1860). He was a very important person in Rochester's early days. Jonathan Child was the city's first mayor! He was also the son-in-law of Nathaniel Rochester, who founded the city.

What does it look like?

The Jonathan Child House is a great example of the Greek Revival style. This style was popular in the 1800s. It often looks like ancient Greek temples. The house has a huge, two-story "portico." A portico is a porch with tall columns that supports a roof. It makes the house look grand and impressive.

What was it used for?

Jonathan Child sold the house in the 1840s. Since then, it has been used for many different things. At one point, it was a boarding house called "The Pillars." A boarding house is like a hotel where people can rent rooms for a longer time. In 2012, the building was planned to open as "Rochester Pillars." This was meant to be a place for special events, like parties or meetings.

The Brewster–Burke House

The Brewster–Burke House is located at 130 Spring Street. This house is a beautiful example of the Italianate style. This style was also popular in the 1800s. It often features low-pitched roofs and tall, narrow windows.

What makes it special?

The Brewster–Burke House has a "hipped roof." This means all sides of the roof slope downwards to the walls. It also has a small tower on top called a "cupola." A cupola is a small dome or structure on a roof. The house also has a special entrance porch. This porch has carvings that show "Moorish Revival" designs. These designs are inspired by the art and architecture of ancient Moorish cultures.

Historic Recognition

Both the Jonathan Child House and the Brewster–Burke House are very important. Because of their history and unique architecture, they were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. This is a list of places in the United States that are worth protecting because of their historical or architectural value.