Heritage Hill

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Heritage Hill is also a state park in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Heritage Hill Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright; Multiple
Architectural style(s): Colonial Revival, Greek Revival, Italianate
Added to NRHP: March 11, 1971
NRHP Reference#: 71000399

[1]
Governing body: Local

Heritage Hill is a neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan and is one of the largest urban historic districts[citation needed] in the United States. It is bound by Crescent Street (north), Union Avenue (east), Pleasant Street (south), and Lafayette Avenue (west). Its 1,300 homes date from 1848 and represent over 60 architectural styles. These were the homes of lumber barons, teachers, judges, and legislators who shaped the city’s future.

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[edit] History

Heritage Hill is adjacent to downtown Grand Rapids and is the city's oldest residential district. It is home to about 4,400 residents and covers an area of about 3,500 acres. A number of architectural styles are included in the historic district including Greek Revival, Italianate, Colonial Revival, Chateauesque, Queen Anne, Shingle Style and over 50 others. There is also a Prairie Style house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright which was built in 1908.

The Heritage Hill Association was formed in 1968 to stop a variety of urban renewal projects that would have demolished 75% of the neighborhood. Its purpose is to provide neighbors a way of collectively building a healthy, historically preserved community where people can live and work in a secure and stable environment. Issues include land use, crime and safety concerns, preservation, parking and traffic, education and other quality of life issues. Heritage Hill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Prior to its designation as a National Historic District a number of homes were demolished. One notable home that was lost was the Bissell house, built for Melville R. Bissell (inventor of the carpet sweeper) & his wife Anna. The site is now occupied by Grand Rapids' NBC television affiliate station, WOOD-TV Channel 8.

Each year on the first weekend of October, the Heritage Hill Association sponsors a weekend Home Tour in the Historic District that includes admittance to select homes. The Association also publishes a series of self-guided walking tours of the historic district which can be taken at any time, but which does not include admittance to the homes.

[edit] Select Historic Sites

[edit] References

  1. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).

[edit] External links