Hillhouse Avenue is a street in

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...

, Connecticut, famous for its many nineteenth century mansions, including the president's house at

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

. Both

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

and

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has pr ...

have described it as "the most beautiful street in America." Much of the avenue is included in the Hillhouse Avenue Historic District, which extends to include houses on adjacent streets. and

History

The avenue is named for

James Hillhouse James Hillhouse (October 20, 1754 – December 29, 1832) was an American lawyer, real estate developer, and politician from New Haven, Connecticut. He represented the state in both chambers of the US Congress. From February to March 1801, Hill ...

(1754–1832) (and his son James Abraham Hillhouse, 1789–1841), innovator in land use in New Haven, who began the program of tree planting that gave New Haven its nickname, ''The Elm City'', and who laid out the Trumbull Plan for

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

and the

Grove Street Cemetery Grove Street Cemetery or Grove Street Burial Ground is a cemetery in New Haven, Connecticut, that is surrounded by the Yale University campus. It was organized in 1796 as the New Haven Burying Ground and incorporated in October 1797 to replace the ...

. Hillhouse Avenue was initially called Temple Avenue, and was staked out, wide, by Hillhouse employee, and later Yale president,

Jeremiah Day Jeremiah Day (August 3, 1773 – August 22, 1867) was an American academic, a Congregational minister and President of Yale College (1817–1846). Early life Day was the son of Rev. Jeremiah and Abigail (Noble) Osborn Day, who were descendant ...

, in 1792. The avenue ran from the Green at Temple Street to a hilltop location where James Abraham Hillhouse built the family mansion, ''Highwood'' (later called ''Sachem's Wood''), in 1828. The houses along the wide avenue were set back with room for trees creating a park-like effect. The elms which once shaded the street were lost to

Dutch elm disease Dutch elm disease (DED) is caused by a member of the sac fungi (Ascomycota) affecting elm trees, and is spread by elm bark beetles. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease was accidentally introduced into America, Europe ...

, but mature oak trees have largely taken their place. The avenue was privately owned until 1862. Because of the nature of the street, its lots, and its orientation to the nine-square-grid of New Haven (the nation's first planned city), Hillhouse Avenue is sometimes considered to be the first suburb in the United States. The Hillhouse mansion was razed in 1942 in accordance with a directive in the

will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and wi ...

of James Abraham Hillhouse's daughter, Isaphene. In time, Hillhouse Avenue came to be divided into an upper, residential area, and a lower portion for public buildings and the

Farmington Canal The Farmington Canal, also known as the New Haven and Northampton Canal, was a major private canal built in the early 19th century to provide water transportation from New Haven into the interior of Connecticut, Massachusetts and beyond. Its Mas ...

. It is now just two blocks long, running from Grove to Sachem. The upper portion of the avenue, along with the adjacent blocks (and the Dana House), was designated the Hillhouse Avenue Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Buildings

Yale now owns all of the properties on Hillhouse Avenue except for St. Mary's Church and its parish house. Many of the mansions of the upper area have been converted for use by the economics department,

Cowles Foundation The Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics is an economic research institute at Yale University. It was created as the Cowles Commission for Research in Economics at Colorado Springs in 1932 by businessman and economist Alfred Cowles. In 19 ...

, School of Management, and other academic departments, and have been completely restored. Lower Hillhouse primarily includes university buildings, a number of them formerly part of the

Sheffield Scientific School Sheffield Scientific School was founded in 1847 as a school of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut, for instruction in science and engineering. Originally named the Yale Scientific School, it was renamed in 1861 in honor of Joseph E. Sheffiel ...

. There are several houses designed by architects

Ithiel Town Ithiel Town (October 3, 1784 – June 13, 1844) was an American architect and civil engineer. One of the first generation of professional architects in the United States, Town made significant contributions to American architecture in the f ...

, Henry Austin and

Alexander Jackson Davis Alexander Jackson Davis, or A. J. Davis (July 24, 1803 – January 14, 1892), was an American architect, known particularly for his association with the Gothic Revival style. Education Davis was born in New York City and studied at ...

. The area at the end of the avenue where Hillhouse's mansion stood is now part of the Science Hill section of Yale's campus. Notable buildings on Hillhouse Avenue that are included in the historic district are: * James Dwight Dana House, designed by Henry Austin, built 1845-1848. Home to the Yale Statistics Department for many years, and listed as a U.S.

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...

* Mary Prichard House, 1836. This Greek revival design by Alexander Jackson Davis includes a two-story Corinthian porch with white columns. It is also known as the Provost's House and has been used to house Yale administration. * Henry Farnam House,

Russell Sturgis Russell Sturgis (; October 16, 1836 – February 11, 1909) was an American architect and art critic of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was one of the founders of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1870. Sturgis was born in Baltimore Count ...

, 1871. Redesigned with Victorian features removed in 1934. It has been the home of Yale's presidents since 1937. * John Pitkin Norton House (Steinbach Hall, Yale Astronomy Department, formerly Yale School of Management), 1849. Tuscan/Italian Villa on Hillhouse Avenue designed by Henry Austin. * Charles Henry Farnam House, J. Cleaveland Cady, 1884. Queen Anne style. * Pelitiah Perit (Horchow Hall, Yale School of Management), Sidney Mason Stone, 1859. Renaissance revival/Tuscan. * Henry F. English House, 1892. Classical revival mansion, designed by

Bruce Price Bruce Price (December 12, 1845 – May 29, 1903) was an American architect and an innovator in the Shingle Style. The stark geometry and compact massing of his cottages in Tuxedo Park, New York, influenced Modernist architects, including ...

. Home of the Yale University Office of Undergraduate Admissions. * Graves-Dwight House, 1862. This villa is now used by the Yale Anthropology Department. * Apthorp House (Evans Hall, Yale Astronomy Department, formerly Yale School of Management), Town and Davis, 1836 (with extensive subsequent remodeling). * Skinner House (Yale Astronomy Department, formerly Yale International Center of Finance), Town and Davis, 1832. Landmark Greek Revival. * Graves-Gilman House (now 37 Hillhouse), 1866. Victorian Italian Villa. Home of Sheffield professor,

Daniel Coit Gilman Daniel Coit Gilman (; July 6, 1831 – October 13, 1908) was an American educator and academic. Gilman was instrumental in founding the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale College, and subsequently served as the second president of the University ...

. Converted into apartments for married Yale students (1946–1957). George H. W. Bush lived here while he was a student and his son lived here until the age of two. Now used by the Yale Department of Economics. * Abigail Whelpey House, 1826. The oldest house standing on Hillhouse. This Federal structure was altered in the 1860s with a mansard roof and dormer windows by

Noah Porter Noah Thomas Porter III (December 14, 1811 – March 4, 1892)''Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale University'', Yale University, 1891-2, New Haven, pp. 82-83. was an American Congregational minister, academic, philosopher, author, lexicographer ...

, later President of Yale. The house, now known as Allwin Hall, has served as a residence for Yale administrators.Allwin Hall, Yale Facilities
/ref> Buildings on lower Hillhouse Avenue, outside of the historic district, include: * Cloister Hall (now Warner House), 1888. Brownstone building originally served the

Book and Snake The Society of Book and Snake (incorporated as the Stone Trust Corporation) is the fourth oldest secret society at Yale University and was the first society to induct women into its delegation. Book and Snake was founded at the Sheffield Scientif ...

fraternity of the Sheffield School. * Kirtland Hall, Dunham Laboratory, Mason Laboratory, Leet Oliver Memorial Hall. Yale University buildings originally part of the Sheffield Scientific School. * St. Mary's Church and parish house. * Sheffield-Town Mansion.

, 1836. Additions for Joseph Earl Sheffield by Henry Austin in 1859. Razed in 1957. * Yale University Collection of Musical Instruments, 1895. Romanesque structure built originally for the

Alpha Delta Phi Alpha Delta Phi (), commonly known as Alpha Delt, ADPhi, A-Delt, or ADP, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. Alpha Delta Phi was originally founded as a literary society by Samuel Eells in 1832 at Hamilton College in C ...

fraternity. Significant properties not on Hillhouse Avenue, but included in the historic district, include: *

Russell Henry Chittenden House The Russell Henry Chittenden House is a historic house at 83 Trumbull Street in New Haven, Connecticut. Built in the 1880s, it was the longtime home of Russell Henry Chittenden, who lived there from 1887 to his death in 1943. Chittenden, known ...

, at 83 Trumbull Street, listed as a

. * Wolf's Head, built in 1883, designed by

McKim, Mead & White McKim, Mead & White was an American architectural firm that came to define architectural practice, urbanism, and the ideals of the American Renaissance in fin de siècle New York. The firm's founding partners Charles Follen McKim (1847–1909), Wil ...

Richardsonian Romanesque Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after the American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886). The revival style incorporates 11th and 12th century southern French, Spanish, and Italian Romanes ...

with stepped end gables, former home of Wolf's Head Society. * William Lyon Phelps House, 1908–1909, at 110 Whitney Avenue, Colonial Revival * a second William Lyon Phelps House, 1914, at 114 Whitney Avenue, designed by J. Frederick Kelly, "one of New Haven's finest Colonial Revival-style structures"

Images

Image:NewHavenHillhouse2.JPG, John Norton House Image:NewHavenHillhouse3.JPG, Mary Prichard House Image:NewHavenHillhouse4.JPG, Graves-Gillman House Image:NewHavenHillhouse5.JPG, Graves-Dwight House Image:NewHavenHillhouse6.JPG, Peletiah Perit House Image:NewHavenHillhouse7.JPG, Henry English House Image:NewHavenHillhouse8.JPG, George Fisher House Image:NewHavenHillhouse9.JPG, Elizabeth Apthorp House Image:NewHavenHillhouse10.JPG, Henry Farnam House Image:NewHavenHillhouse11.JPG, Abigail Whelpey House Image:NewHavenStMarys.JPG, St. Mary's Church

References

Sources

* Holden, Reuben A., ''Yale: A Pictorial History'', Yale University Press, New Haven, 1967. * Pinnell, Patrick L., ''Yale University: The Campus Guide'', Princeton Architectural Press, New York, 1999. * Kelley, Brooks Mather, ''New Haven Heritage'', New Haven Preservation Trust, 1974.
Hillhouse Avenue Historic District, New Haven Preservation Trust

External links