LeClair Avenue Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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LeClair Avenue Historic District
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | 6, 7, 8, 11, 14 LeClair Ave., 11-13, 12, 20 North St., Winooski, Vermont |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| NRHP reference No. | 11000831 |
| Added to NRHP | April 2, 2012 |
The LeClair Avenue Historic District is a special neighborhood in Winooski, Vermont. It includes a small group of old houses on LeClair Avenue and North Street. These homes were built for working-class families, especially French-Canadian immigrants. A local businessman named Francis LeClair helped create this area. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. This means it's an important place to protect because of its history.
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What is the LeClair Avenue Historic District?
This historic district is a small, unique part of Winooski. It's located on LeClair Avenue, which is a short street that ends without a way through. It also includes some buildings on North Street nearby. The houses in the district are mostly made of wood or brick. They were built for one family or several families to live in.
When Were These Homes Built?
All the buildings in the LeClair Avenue Historic District were constructed between about 1880 and 1905. This was a time when Winooski was growing quickly. The houses have a simple, everyday style. They also show small touches of popular building styles from that time. Some of the homes have been changed a little over the years. For example, some might have new porches or different siding.
Who Was Francis LeClair?
Francis LeClair was a very successful businessman in Winooski. Back then, Winooski was part of a larger town called Colchester. LeClair was also a real estate developer. This means he bought land, divided it into smaller pieces, and helped build houses on them.
Housing for Mill Workers
The mills in Winooski were very important for the town's economy. They were located along the Winooski River. Starting in the 1860s, these mills brought many French-speaking workers from nearby Quebec, Canada. Francis LeClair was known for building homes that these mill workers and their families could afford.
The LeClair Avenue Development
The LeClair Avenue development was one of the last projects Francis LeClair started. He began it around 1880, before he passed away in 1889. He divided a large piece of land into smaller lots. Then, he sold these lots to immigrants or local families who had French-Canadian backgrounds. These families then built their homes on the land. Records from that time show that most of the people who owned or lived in these homes worked in the local mills.
