Church Hill Historic District Nominated for State and National Register for Historic Places

BALLSTON SPA ­— The Church Hill Historic District, in the hamlet of Crescent in the Town of Halfmoon, has received nomination to be added to the State and National Register for Historic Places, the Saratoga County History Center announced this week. 

The Church Hill Historic District is in the hamlet of Crescent, just to the east of NYS Route 9, in Halfmoon. The district includes 13 residential structures, examples of how the Erie Canal and the Mohawk River shaped communities along the southern border of Saratoga County. A burst of prosperity in the second quarter of the 19th century related to the location of the Crescent Aqueduct was responsible for many of the architectural examples of high-style homes and businesses in this hamlet. Subsequently, the demise of the original canal and changing forms of transportation forced this community to evolve, first as a result of the Barge Canal and then as a result of increasing automobile traffic. Throughout these changes, stellar examples of both high-style buildings and vernacular structures remain to tell the story of the bygone canal era. They deserve the measures of protection that a listing on the register affords them.

Over 75 Saratoga County districts, sites, buildings, and structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the United States of America’s official list of historic properties worthy of preservation. Buildings that are listed on the State and National Registers are eligible for various public preservation programs and services — such as matching state grants, or state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits — to assist property owners in maintaining and revitalizing the buildings.

The Saratoga County History Center is dedicated to preserving and sharing the diverse histories of Saratoga County. Previously focused on the Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa, the SCHC offers a wide variety of education programming online. When Brookside Museum re-opens this summer, the SCHC will debut new exhibits and family-friendly events. Visit: brooksidemuseum.org.