BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The Church Hill Historic District, in the hamlet of Crescent in the Town of Halfmoon, will be added to the State and National Register for Historic Places. The Church Hill Historic District will become the 11th historic district in Saratoga County.
Lynda Bryan, Town of Halfmoon Historian, explains: “These beautiful 1800s Erie Canal homes that overlook the Mohawk River tell the story of one of the brightest moments in Halfmoon history. In 2016, a group of Church Hill residents worked with the NYS Preservation Office (SHPO) for consideration of listing the District.”
The Church Hill Historic District includes 13 homes. The Saratoga County History Center says that these structures are “outstanding examples” of how the Erie Canal and the Mohawk River influenced communities along the southern border of Saratoga County. The Center explains that a burst of prosperity from 1825-1850 related to the Crescent Aqueduct was responsible for the high-style homes and businesses in the area. Subsequently, the crumbling of the original canal and changing forms of transportation forced the community to evolve. First, the area evolved as a result of the Barge Canal and then again as a result of increasing popularity of cars.
Over 75 Saratoga County districts, sites, buildings, and structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 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.
