Pill Hill Local Historic District

We are fundraising to finally establish the Historic Pill Hill neighborhood as a locally recognized and protected landmark district in Rochester. We are a group of motivated Pill Hill homeowners with a plan to make this happen. The funds will be directly used to pay for a professional historic consultant to prepare an application for landmark designation as required by Rochester's Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC). The consultant will work with the HPC, the City of Rochester, the History Center of Olmsted County, local historians, and will have access to local, county, state, and federal documents. We are grateful to have the support of the HPC, the Historic Southwest Neighborhood Association, and so many neighbors already. We need your help to finally cement our historical gem in its place in history.

LEARN MORE HERE

City of Rochester Pill Hill Information Page

WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE PAYING FOR?

The document. The Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) and the State Historic Preservation Office require a professionally prepared application for local landmark district designation. The report will outline the historic context of the neighborhood, including a full inventory of the properties in the National Register district with current and historic photos, a brief history of the property (including architect, style, original owners), a determination of major features and historical integrity. An analysis of the district boundaries will be performed to determine if there are adjacent properties worthy of consideration.

WHY IS A LOCAL DISTRICT NEEDED WHEN PILL HILL IS ALREADY ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES?

The neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, but this only protects property from demolition or major alteration in the unlikely event that federal or state funding or permits are involved. For the past several months, a growing group of highly motivated Pill Hill residents have been working diligently towards establishing Pill Hill as a locally recognized historic district. This action, once complete, would ensure historic protection at the local level. There are many reasons to designate Pill Hill as a historic district, including its rich history and architecture, preserving a local gem for residents and visitors, and aligning with Pill Hill’s existing designation on the National Register. There are fourteen sites in the City of Rochester on the National Register, and twelve of them have already gone through the red tape to be recognized locally by the city so far. It is now Pill Hill’s turn.

The city plans informational sessions in the future. You should look for a flyer from the city in the mail soon.