Mansion Hill Historic District
History
In the 19th century, Mansion Hill was one of Madison's most prestigious neighborhoods.
Developers in the 1950s-70s demolished historic houses to build apartments or commercial buildings, dramatically changing the look of the neighborhood. Concerned about losing more of these architecturally significant structures, residents asked the City to create a local historic district.
The Common Council named Mansion Hill our first historic district in 1976. While the mansions remain, many of these are now multi-unit housing, largely for students. The City provided the framework for this neighborhood to adapt these architecturally significant buildings for new housing needs.
Historic Designation
The Mansion Hill Historic District reflects a pattern in the broad social history of Madison, the State and the Nation, and in that elements within the District meet the other three designation criteria, namely that many of the structures in the District:
- Are identified with historic personages or with important events in national, state or local history
- Embody the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type specimen, inherently valuable for a study of a period, style, method of construction, or of local materials or craftsmanship
- Are representative of the notable work of a builder, designer or architect of note whose individual genius influences their age