Union Street-Academy Hill Historic District

Academy Hill and Union Street form a residential and civic district on a hill near the river in the village of Montgomery, New York, regarded as the heart of the village. The streets radiate in a grid from this point, and the village's 19th-century growth shows in its changing architectural styles. Buildings range from the 1790 Minnehaha Hotel and Federal row houses of about 1800 to Greek Revival houses, an 1846 Italianate residence, Queen Anne homes and 1920s bungalows. Landmarks include the 1818 Montgomery Academy, the second oldest chartered academy in New York State, now the library and Village Hall, and the 1830 Greek Revival First Presbyterian Church. A 1914 fire house, four churches, shops and former blacksmith and cabinet shops add variety. Late in the 19th century, developer Chauncy Brooks built most of the new houses along Wallkill Avenue and Union Street, all with similar detailing. Despite the variety of styles, a consistent scale unifies the streetscapes.