Silver Hill Historic District (Weston, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Silver Hill Historic District
|
|
Silver Hill Road
|
|
 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Silver Hill and Westland Rds., Merriam St., Weston, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Area | 54 acres (22 ha) |
| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Strout, George; Worcester, J.R. |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000902 |
| Added to NRHP | August 25, 2004 |
The Silver Hill Historic District is a special neighborhood in Weston, Massachusetts. It was the very first large area in Weston to be planned and built for homes. This district includes 79 buildings located on Silver Hill Road, Westland Road, and Merriam Street.
The streets of Silver Hill and Westland Roads were officially planned in 1905. Merriam Street is a much older road that started to have homes built on it in the 1890s. The houses in this area often show off styles like Colonial Revival and Queen Anne. While these styles are common in other towns near Boston, they are quite unique for Weston. The Silver Hill Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. This means it's recognized as an important historical place.
Contents
Discovering Silver Hill Historic District
The Silver Hill neighborhood is in the northern part of Weston. It's located south of North Street, which is also known as Massachusetts Route 117. You can also find it near the Silver Hill train stop. This stop is part of the MBTA's Fitchburg Line commuter rail.
Where is Silver Hill Located?
The district stretches along Merriam Street. This street crosses the train tracks on an old wooden bridge. South of the train crossing, Silver Hill Road branches off to the west. It then curves south, going around the hill it's named after, until it meets Westland Road. The neighborhood also extends further west on Westland Road. However, this part is not included in the historic district. This is because many of its houses have lost their original historical look.
The Silver Hill Historic District is completely residential. This means it's a place where people live. It covers about 54 acres (22 hectares) of land. Within this area, there are 41 houses that are considered historically important. You can also find many old barns and garages from the same time period.
How Silver Hill Grew
Merriam Street is a very old road in Weston. It dates back to the early days when people first settled in the area. However, the northern part of Merriam Street was still farmland until the 1890s. The opening of the Silver Hill train stop in 1875 helped new homes start to appear.
The First Homes
The oldest house in the district is at 227 Merriam Street. It was built in 1892 for a worker. This worker was employed at the Hook & Hastings Pipe Organ Company. Their factory was just one stop east on the train line. Land along Merriam Street was divided into smaller pieces and built on first.
Building a Community
In 1905, a group called the Weston Land Company was formed. This company was made up of local landowners and investors. Their goal was to plan and develop the areas of Silver Hill and Westland Roads. The land was divided into lots that were about 30,000 square feet (2,800 square meters). However, many people bought two lots together. This made the homes feel more spread out and spacious. Most of the houses built here are in the Queen Anne or Colonial Revival styles. Most of these homes were finished by 1920.
