Old Chestnut Hill Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Chestnut Hill Historic District
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View along Hammond Street
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Along Hammond St. and Chestnut Hill Rd. roughly bounded by Beacon St. and Essex Rd., and Suffolk Rd., Newton, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 98 acres (40 ha) |
| Architect | Bosworth, Welles |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Italianate, Shingle Style |
| MPS | Newton MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001756 |
| Added to NRHP | September 04, 1986 |
The Old Chestnut Hill Historic District is a special neighborhood in Newton, Massachusetts. It's known for its beautiful old homes. This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 because of its important history and architecture.
This district is a great example of how Newton grew into a fancy suburb for wealthy families. The houses here are very well-designed. They sit on large, green lots with lots of trees and plants.
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Exploring the Old Chestnut Hill Historic District
This historic district covers about 98 acres. It includes 132 buildings, and 109 of them are considered important to the district's history. Most of the houses were built in the Colonial Revival style. You can also find other popular styles from the early 1900s, like Tudor Revival. Not many new buildings have been added since 1942.
How the District Grew Over Time
When the district was first recognized in 1986, it covered parts of Hammond Street and Chestnut Hill Road. It also included some nearby streets. In 1990, the district got bigger. It added more of Chestnut Hill Road, Essex Road, and Suffolk Road. It also included a small area south of the MBTA Green Line tracks. Later, in 1999, one more property on Suffolk Road was added to the district.
Early History of Chestnut Hill
The history of this area goes back to the 1600s. Thomas Hammond was one of the first people to settle here. He likely built the Hammond House around 1700. This house, located at 9 Old Orchard Road, is thought to be the oldest building still standing in Newton. Another old house, built in 1723 at 521 Hammond Street, also belonged to the Hammond family. It's a large house built in the Georgian style.
How the Neighborhood Developed
The area didn't really start to grow a lot until after 1886. That's when the Circuit Railroad brought train service to Chestnut Hill. A train station was built in 1883. It was designed by a famous architect named H. H. Richardson. The station's surroundings were even designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, a very well-known landscape architect. Sadly, this historic train station was taken down in 1960.
