Christian Hill Historic District, Historic residential district in Alton, US.
Christian Hill Historic District is a residential neighborhood containing about 274 buildings spread across a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The structures display Renaissance Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne styles built over several decades.
Development started in the 1830s with construction of a state prison, after which the area grew as a residential neighborhood. Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, houses were built continuously, reflecting the city's growing prosperity.
The district's Renaissance Revival and Italianate architecture shows how 19th-century residents shaped their community through building design choices. Walking through the streets, you notice how these varied styles sit side by side, reflecting the tastes and prosperity of different periods.
The neighborhood sits on a bluff and is easy to explore on foot, with defined boundaries along streets like Broadway, Belle, and Cliff. As a residential district, you can walk at your own pace and view the buildings from the outside.
Saints Peter and Paul Church, built in the 1850s, once served as the main cathedral for a wide area before its religious role shifted to another city. The building shows how strongly the Catholic community shaped the neighborhood.
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