Parker Hill Rural Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Parker Hill Rural Historic District
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A Federal period brick house at Parker Hill and Lawrence Roads
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Parker Hill and Lower Parker Hill Rds., Springfield, Vermont |
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| Area | 2,000 acres (810 ha) |
| Architect | Dana, Thomas |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000431 |
| Added to NRHP | May 20, 1993 |
The Parker Hill Rural Historic District is a huge area of old farms and fields in Vermont. It covers about 2,000 acres (that's like 1,000 football fields!). This special place is mostly around Parker Hill Road in the towns of Rockingham and Springfield. For over 200 years, people have farmed here. You can still see many old farmhouses built in the Federal style. This whole district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 because it's so important.
What is the Parker Hill District?
The Parker Hill area is found between Parker Hill Road to the west and Obrien and Lower Parker Hill Roads to the east. These roads run from the Williams River north to Seavers Brook. Parker Hill Road goes along a ridge that is much higher than the Williams River valley.
Today, this area is a mix of active farms and old fields. Many of the old fields are slowly turning back into forests. You can see many stone walls that divide these fields. Farmers built these walls in the late 1700s and early 1800s. They made them when they first cleared the land for growing crops. These stone walls also line the roads throughout the district.
Old Farmhouses and Buildings
The Parker Hill District includes 25 farm properties. There are also smaller pieces of land that were once part of these farms. Some of these smaller spots now have summer homes.
Most of the farm properties have a main farmhouse and several other buildings. These houses usually show a simple version of late Georgian and Federal styles. Georgian and Federal are types of architecture popular in the 1700s and early 1800s. The houses are made of wood or brick. One farmhouse even has some Italianate features, which was a style popular later on.
Four of the houses in the district have ballrooms on their second floor. This shows that the original builders were quite wealthy! You can also find signs of old, abandoned farms. Sometimes, only the foundations or cellar holes are left. While some farms still operate today, many properties are now used as seasonal homes.
