National Register of Historic Places

Academy Hill Historic District

Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts
Listed
October 6, 1982
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
82000475

About this property

The Academy Hill Historic District is a historic district on Massachusetts Route 28 in Andover, Massachusetts. It encompasses the historic campuses of three important 18th and 19th century academic institutions, which shaped not only town but the nation's educational systems. The first school established in Andover was the Phillips Academy, established in 1778. Its campus includes a number of notable buildings, from two important building phases. The first, between about 1810 and 1830, resulted in the construction of Bulfinch Hall (1819, named for, but not designed by, Charles Bulfinch), Samaritan Hall (1824, at first an infirmary, but later used for other purposes), and the Stowe House (1828, remodeled by Harriet Beecher Stowe in the 1850s, and later used as an inn). The second building phase was in the early decades of the 20th century, when Bell Tower, Morse Hall, and Addison Gallery were built. The campus of the Andover Theological Seminary (founded 1807) includes the oldest building in the district, Foxcroft Hall, which was built in 1808. Along with Pearson Hall (1818) and Bartlet Hall (1820), it is a fine example of Federalist academic architecture. The latter two buildings underwent some changes, most notably being reduced from four to three stories to better fit the scale of the campus, in the 20th century. The campus also includes the 1809 Phelps House, which housed the first president of the academy, and later Professor Austin Phelps. The third school in the district is the Abbot Academy, which was founded in 1828 as a women's school. It merged with the Phillips Academy in 1973, but its former central campus retains definition, with three buildings surrounding the "Abbot Circle": Abbot Hall, the original academy building (1829), Draper Hall, a dormitory (1890), and McKeen Hall. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Location

Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts
42.64744, -71.13186

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREEDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Main Street-Locke
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Lincolnshire, The
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0.5 mi
Abbot, Asa and Sylvester, House
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Questions about this property

When was Academy Hill Historic District listed on the National Register?

Academy Hill Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 6, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Academy Hill Historic District?

Academy Hill Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Academy Hill Historic District?

The period of significance for Academy Hill Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Academy Hill Historic District?

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