Avon Hill Historic District, Historic residential district near Porter Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Avon Hill Historic District is a residential neighborhood in Cambridge containing around 220 properties defined by Victorian and Second Empire architectural styles. The buildings line Washington Street between Upland and Lancaster Streets, displaying the ornate details and proportions typical of late 19th-century residential construction.
The area was originally called Jones Hill until 1869, when developers purchased a large parcel at the hilltop for residential development. This sparked decades of construction as wealthy families built their homes, transforming an undeveloped hillside into a fashionable neighborhood.
The district embodies the prosperity of Cambridge's upper class during the late 1800s, with spacious properties and manicured grounds reflecting a lifestyle of comfort and social standing. Walking through the neighborhood today, you can sense how the residents once shaped their daily life around these grand homes and extensive gardens.
The neighborhood is easy to explore on foot, with wide streets and clear layout making it simple to walk between blocks. There are no museums or visitor centers here, so strolling through the residential streets gives you the best view of the historic homes and their details.
Of the roughly 220 properties, most houses are two-and-a-half-story wood-frame structures built during a remarkably concentrated period. Only two homes were constructed after 1900, which means the neighborhood captures a single era of residential design almost completely.
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