Washington Park Historic District

Washington Park Historic District in Troy, New York, centers on a fenced, tree-shaded park about 270 feet on each side, laid out in 1840 and modeled after an English residential square. Three-story brick and brownstone houses, rowhouses and two St. Mary's Church buildings face the park on all four sides, kept to a uniform building line. The oldest buildings, along the south side, date from the 1840s and share a single design with full-height pilasters and a common pediment. Other sides were built up during the second half of the 19th century. Deed covenants set the building line, reserved the park as a private ornamental space for lot owners, and assessed them for its upkeep, a duty the Washington Park Association still performs. Wealthy Troy industrialists and financiers built homes here. The district is valued for its cohesive scale, its materials and the lasting integrity of its design and purpose.