Murray Hill Summer Home District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Murray Hill Summer Home District
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Murray Hill Rd. roughly between Cass Mill and Lynch Rds., Hill, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 108 acres (44 ha) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000179 |
| Added to NRHP | March 17, 1988 |
The Murray Hill Summer Home District is a group of old farmhouses and other buildings. They are found on Murray Hill Road, a quiet road in Hill, New Hampshire. This area is special because many rural properties were turned into summer homes. This happened between 1873 and 1937. It was one of the first times farms in New Hampshire became places for tourists.
The district includes eight farmhouses that were changed for summer use. There are also two "Shingle style" houses. This is a type of architecture with wooden shingles on the walls. A 19th-century schoolhouse is also part of the district. It is now used as a meeting place. All these buildings are on Murray Hill Road. They are located between Cass Mill Road and Lynch Road. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. This list helps protect important historical places.
What Makes Murray Hill Special?
Murray Hill Road is in the northwest part of Hill, New Hampshire. It sits about 1,000 feet (305 meters) high. This road is on the side of a ridge. The ridge has two peaks: Page Hill (1,600 ft / 488 m) and Dickinson Hill (1,800 ft / 549 m).
You can still see signs of the area's farming past. There are old, unused roads and farm paths. Stone walls also line the fields and wooded areas. These walls show where old farms used to be.
How It Became a Summer Spot
In 1873, a man named John Murdock started buying land here. He then divided the land into smaller pieces. His goal was to create plots for summer houses. Often, land was sold or given between family members and friends.
By the time New Hampshire started helping to turn old farms into tourist spots, Murray Hill was already mostly changed. It had become a popular place for summer visitors.
The Chandler Property Example
The Chandler property is a good example of this change. It includes a farmhouse built around 1810. This house was mainly used as a farm until 1878. After that, the owners started taking in summer guests. This helped them earn money as farming became less profitable. The Chandler family bought the property in 1927. They made many changes to make it a perfect summer home.
