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Roughly bounded by University Bay, Harvard and Amherst drives and the corporate limit of Shorewood Hills
College Hills Historic District
02001518
Roughly bounded by University Bay, Harvard and Amherst drives and the corporate limit of Shorewood Hills
Dane
Shorewood Hills
Summary
College Hills Historic District
Village of Shorewood Hills, Dane County
Dates of construction of contributing buildings: 1914-1959
As the population of downtown Madison grew, a new generation of real estate developers emerged. In 1913 John C. McKenna formed the University Bay Land Co. and purchased a portion of farmland to plat residential lots. The land was an ideal site with unspoiled views of Lake Mendota, Picnic Point and the University of Wisconsin campus in the distance. McKenna hoped the expanding university population would create a market so he named the plat "College Hills" and the streets after American or English colleges.
In order to appeal to a well-educated elite, McKenna put out advertisements such as "A Neighborhood of High Class Homes" and "The Plat that Appeals to Good Judgment and Sentiment." Restrictions were set to enforce this idea. Initial sales were slow but by the end of World War I the need for more housing increased activity. McKenna purchased another strip of land and called the new plat Shorewood. Soon after the Village of Shorewood Hills, incorporating both College Hills and Shorewood, became a self-governing suburb of the City of Madison. Although a number of homes were built between the wars, it was not until after the Second World War that the majority of houses were built.
The architectural unity of College Hills is its most attractive feature. Many of the houses were designed by prominent Madison and regionally notable architects. The earliest houses were fashioned in Progressive Styles such as Prairie School, Arts & Crafts and American Craftsman. Period Revival Styles were dominant between the wars but post World War II, styles shifted to a more contemporary design. College Hills boasts the largest concentration of Modern residential design in the Madison area.
The homes in this neighborhood are private residences. Please respect the privacy of the owners.
Property Details
| Criteria | Architecture/Engineering |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Architecture |
| Period of Significance | 1914-1959 |
| Architectural Style | International Style,Tudor Revival,Prairie School,Colonial Revival |
| Architect | Purcell and Elmslie,Beatty and Strang |
| Resource Type | District |
| Historic Use | Single Dwelling |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 114 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 32 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the State Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Jul 19, 2002 |
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Dec 9, 2002 |
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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