Prospect Hill Historic District (Willimantic, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Prospect Hill Historic District
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Bolivia St., Jackson St., Valley St. and Birch St., Willimantic, Connecticut |
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| Area | 250 acres (100 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000814 |
| Added to NRHP | August 29, 2003 |
The Prospect Hill Historic District is a really big neighborhood in Willimantic, Connecticut. It's a special area because it has so many old and important buildings. This district is located just north of the main shopping area in Willimantic. Most of the buildings here were built between 1865 and 1930. It's one of the largest historic districts in Connecticut, with over 800 buildings that tell a story about the past! It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, which means it's officially recognized as a place worth protecting.
Exploring Prospect Hill: A Historic Neighborhood
How Willimantic Grew
Willimantic started out with mills in the 1700s. These mills used the power of the Willimantic River to grind grain and cut wood. Later, in the early 1800s, these mills changed to make textiles, like cloth and thread. Willimantic also became a very important place for trains, as several railroad lines met there. This made it a busy center for travel and trade.
The main business area of Willimantic grew north of the mills. Just a little further north, the Prospect Hill area began to be developed for homes. This started in the early 1860s when Valley Street was created. Over the next few decades, more streets were added, spreading north.
What You'll Find in the District
The Prospect Hill Historic District covers about 40 city blocks and has almost 1,000 buildings! A huge number of these, about 88%, are considered historically important. They were built between 1865 and 1930. This makes it a very special place with lots of old buildings close together.
You can find about 600 houses in the district. There are also seven church complexes, six schools, and even one old firehouse! More than half of the houses were built before the year 1900. The buildings show off many cool architectural styles that were popular before World War I. You'll see styles like Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne Victorian, Stick, and Shingle. Many of these buildings are great examples of these older styles, even if some are simpler versions.
