Town Hill District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Town Hill District
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Boston
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Bounded roughly by Rutherford Ave. and Main and Warren Sts., Boston, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Area | 11 acres (4.5 ha) |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century Revival, Georgian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000850 |
| Added to NRHP | May 11, 1973 |
The Town Hill District is a special area in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It's called a historic district because it has many old buildings and places that are important to history. This area is found near Rutherford Avenue, Main Street, and Warren Street.
Contents
Discovering Town Hill District
How Town Hill Began
In 1629, an engineer named Thomas Graves designed the Town Hill area. This was one of the very first places settled in Boston. It has a unique oval-shaped street plan that is still there today. This old design is one of the few things left from the early colonial times.
The heart of the neighborhood is City Square. It used to be called Market Square. For a long time, it was a busy market where people bought and sold things. It was also the place where the local government met.
A Look Back in Time
During the 1700s, Market Square was paved. Important town buildings like a courthouse and a meeting-house were built here. On April 18, 1775, a very famous event happened. Paul Revere rowed to Charlestown from Boston on the night of his famous ride. Here, he borrowed a horse and rode off to warn people that British soldiers were marching towards Lexington and Concord.
What You Can See Today
Many of the buildings in Town Hill are homes and shops. Some of them date back to 1780. This was after Charlestown was burned down by the British during the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. After the American Revolution, the square was rebuilt. It was then known as Charlestown Square. It quickly became the center of town life again.
As the 1800s went on, the square became a busy crossroads. New bridges and large hotels were built. The waterfront became crowded with wharves where ships loaded and unloaded goods. Most of the buildings in the district are made from natural materials like brick, wood, and stone.
Protecting History
The Town Hill District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it is recognized as an important historical site in the United States. The Boston Landmarks Commission is also studying this district. They are looking into giving it a special "landmark status" to help protect its history even more.
Gallery
