Town Hill District
About this property
The Town Hill District is a historic district bounded roughly by Rutherford Avenue and Main and Warren Streets in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Town Hill was laid out by Charlestown engineer Thomas Graves in 1629 and was the site of Boston's first settlement. The unique elliptical street plan forms a tightly delineated neighborhood that survives to this day, one of the few colonial aspects to have survived. City Square (then known as Market Square) is the focus of the neighborhood, historically having been a market as well as the seat of government. During the 18th century, Market Square was paved and other important town institutions, including a courthouse and meeting-house, were built in the district. On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere, on the night of his famous ride, rowed to Charlestown from Boston. Here, he borrowed a horse and departed to sound his warning of British troops on the march all the way to Lexington and Concord. Town Hill is composed of residential and commercial structures dating from as early as 1780, when Charlestown was burned to the ground by the British during the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. Rebuilt after the revolution, the square, then known as Charlestown Square, regained its role as the center of town life. As the 19th century progressed, the square became a crossroads as bridges and grand hotels were built and wharves crowded the waterfront. Most of the buildings are constructed of natural materials including brick, wood, and stone. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This district is currently under study for landmark status by the Boston Landmarks Commission.
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about Town Hill District
This page lists Town Hill District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Town Hill District listed on the National Register?
Town Hill District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 1973.
What type of historic resource is Town Hill District?
Town Hill District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Town Hill District?
The period of significance for Town Hill District is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Town Hill District?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Town Hill District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Suffolk County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Suffolk County.
Explore SuffolkCounty ›More historic places in Massachusetts
Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.
View Massachusettshistoric sites ›Massachusetts history
Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.
Massachusettshistory ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Town Hill District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.