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Photo credit: D. Taylor, 06/2004

Chapel Hill Historic District

Inventory No.: AL-IV-A-139

Other Name(s): South Cumberland Historic District

Date Listed: 12/28/2005

Location: Cumberland, Allegany County

Category: District

Period/Date of Construction: 1840-1950

Resources: 634 (543 contributing, 88 non-contributing)

Description: The Chapel Hill Historic District is a mixed-use residential/commercial/institutional historic district of 810 contributing resources on 145 acres located on the southeast side of Cumberland, southeast of the city’s central business district. The trackage of the CSX Railroad (formerly the B & O) lying immediately south and west of the district’s southern and western boundaries. The two principal thoroughfares are Virginia Avenue (originally Virginia Lane), which contains the commercial district of the neighborhood, and Grand Avenue, which contains a nearly unbroken string of double houses from East Oldtown Road at the north to Industrial Boulevard at the south. The topography of the district rises gently from the south, with St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church on the highest point in the district at the head of Pennsylvania Avenue at Oldtown Road. Few of the buildings predate 1900, the vast majority having been built between 1900 and 1910. Approximately 10% were built between World Wars I and II, and the balance postdate World War II. The architecture of the district includes an unusually strong concentration of vernacular residences, including an extraordinary collection of double houses built for the industrial working class of the city at the turn of the 20th century. The majority of the district’s domestic architecture is of wood and a smaller proportion of brick; most of the district’s few commercial buildings are of brick. Many houses and some wood commercial buildings were clad in insul-brick, which, while not an original finish, nonetheless was installed well within the period of significance of the district and contributes to the architectural character of the neighborhood. A particularly distinctive construction technique in the district--and one found in other areas of Cumberland as well--involves the use of brick laid in stylized Flemish bond with paired glazed headers, giving a unique appearance to otherwise modest homes. A few historic buildings in the district are built of concrete block--smooth-dressed, rock-faced, and rusticated--which also appears in foundations of residential and commercial buildings in the district. The majority of the buildings in the Chapel Hill Historic District are two stories in height and of a conventional rectangular form. Roof forms are typical of most neighborhoods which developed during the period of significance of this district. Most of the district's commercial buildings along Virginia Avenue are generally flat-roofed or have shed roofs which slope gently from front to back. Some neighborhood "corner store" commercial buildings are more residential in character and have front-facing or laterally oriented gable roofs. Residential buildings have gabled and hipped roofs as well as front-to-rear sloping shed roofs. A series of locally distinctive stylized French Second Empire-style buildings have Mansard roofs with dormers and the district's Dutch Colonial Revival-style buildings employ gambrel roofs. On nearly every street in the district are homes with gable roofs--front facing or laterally oriented--whose pediments are clad in slate. This appears to be the hallmark of a local builder from the years of the initial development of the district and World War I. Relatively few architectural styles are represented. The earliest two houses date from 1840; one is in Federal style and the other constructed of stone. The vast majority--fully 90%--of the buildings in the district are vernacular in character and represent no particular architectural style. The 1891 Holy Cross Episcopal Church represents the Shingle Style. It is for this church that the neighborhood was named, since, at the time of its construction, its spire was the dominant feature of the skyline and easily visible from downtown Cumberland. A few houses and commercial buildings in the district display Italianate features. There are also a few examples of the French Second Empire, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Dutch Colonial Revival, Bungalow, and American Foursquare styles. The Gothic Revival style was the preferred design mode for the district's churches. Viewed in its entirety, this historic district consists of an architecturally cohesive, primarily residential area which is situated on a grid of streets dominated by double houses of wood and brick, and anchored by a small commercial district.

Significance: The Chapel Hill Historic District is significant for its architecture, as a strong, locally significant and unusually dense concentration of primarily residential buildings built generally between 1900 and the 1940s. While not dominated by properties representing specific styles of architecture, the district contains a distinctive collection of vernacular single-family houses as well as dozens of double houses erected by local entrepreneurs as housing for the workers in local industries, particularly in the glass industry and the railroad, which were driving forces in the city's economy throughout the district's period of significance and whose operations were located within walking distance of the neighborhood. The period of significance begins c. 1840, representing the approximate date of construction of the earliest building in the district and ends c. 1950, a date by which the district's basic appearance had been established. The district retains integrity in its physical qualities, associative values, design features, and specific aspects of construction which date from its period of significance.

District Resources (634) (543 contributing, 88 non-contributing)

From associated listing in National Register nomination form. C = Contributing, NC = non-contributing, blank = not evaluated.

Address	Status	Resource Name and MIHP (if any)
Arch Street	C
7-9 Arch Street	C
10-12 Arch Street	C
11-13 Arch Street	C
15-17 Arch Street	C
16-18 Arch Street	C
19-21 Arch Street	C
20 Arch Street	C
22 Arch Street	C
23-25 Arch Street	C
26 Arch Street	C
27 Arch Street	C
29-31 Arch Street	C
30 Arch Street	C
100 Arch Street	C
106-106 1/2 Arch Street	C
107-109 Arch Street	C
110 Arch Street	C
112 Arch Street	C
115-117 Arch Street	C
119 Arch Street	C
120-122 Arch Street	C	AL-IV-A-119 -- Hose House No. 5
121 Arch Street	C
123 Arch Street	C
124-126 Arch Street	C
127 Arch Street	C
129 Arch Street	C
131-133 Arch Street	C
132-134 Arch Street	C
135-137 Arch Street	C
136-138 Arch Street	C
140 Arch Street	C
201-203 Arch Street	C
205 Arch Street	C
206-208 Arch Street	C
210-212 Arch Street	C
215-217 Arch Street	C
216 Arch Street	C
219-221 Arch Street	C
222-224 Arch Street	C
223 Arch Street	C
226-228 Arch Street	C
227-229 Arch Street	C
300 Arch Street	C
301-303 Arch Street	C
304-306 Arch Street	C
305 Arch Street	C
307-309 Arch Street	C
308 Arch Street	C
311-313 Arch Street	C
312-314 Arch Street	C
316-318 Arch Street	C
319-321 Arch Street	C
322 Arch Street	C
323-325 Arch Street	C
327 Arch Street	C
403 Arch Street	C
405-407 Arch Street	C
406 Arch Street	C
409 Arch Street	C
413-415 Arch Street	C
417 Arch Street	C
419 Arch Street	C
421 Arch Street	C
424-426 Arch Street	C
425-427 Arch Street	C
428-430 Arch Street	C
429-431 Arch Street	C
432 Arch Street	C
433-435 Arch Street	C
434 Arch Street	C
107-113 Blaol Avenue	C
108 Blaol Avenue	C
114 Blaol Avenue	C
116-118 Blaol Avenue	C
117-119 Blaol Avenue	C
57 Browning Street	C	AL-IV-A-139-4 -- Whetsel Property
101 N. Cedar Street	C
105 N. Cedar Street	C
110 N. Cedar Street	C
115 N. Cedar Street	C
309 S. Cedar Street	C
311 S. Cedar Street	C
313 S. Cedar Street	C
314 S. Cedar Street	C
401-403 S. Cedar Street	C
410-412 S. Cedar Street	C
413 S. Cedar Street	C
414 S. Cedar Street	C
203-205 Fairfax Street	C
206 Fairfax Street	C
208 Fairfax Street	C
209-211 Fairfax Street	C
1 Grand Avenue	C
17-19 Grand Avenue	C
18-20 Grand Avenue	C
21-23 Grand Avenue	C
25-27 Grand Avenue	C
26-28 Grand Avenue	C
30 Grand Avenue	C
34-36 Grand Avenue	C
38-40 Grand Avenue	C
100-102 Grand Avenue	C
101 Grand Avenue	C
104 Grand Avenue	C
105 Grand Avenue	C
106-108 Grand Avenue	C
107-109 Grand Avenue	C
111-113 Grand Avenue	C
114-116 Grand Avenue	C
115-117 Grand Avenue	C
118 Grand Avenue	C
119-121 Grand Avenue	C
120 Grand Avenue	C
122 Grand Avenue	C
123 Grand Avenue	C
126 Grand Avenue	C
129 Grand Avenue	C
130 Grand Avenue	C
131 Grand Avenue	C
132-134 Grand Avenue	C
133 Grand Avenue	C
200 Grand Avenue	C
201 Grand Avenue	C
202 Grand Avenue	C
203 Grand Avenue	C
204-206 Grand Avenue	C
205-207 Grand Avenue	C
208 Grand Avenue	C
209 Grand Avenue	C
210 Grand Avenue	C
211 Grand Avenue	C
216 Grand Avenue	C
217-219 Grand Avenue	C
220 Grand Avenue	C
221-223 Grand Avenue	C
222 Grand Avenue	C
224-226 Grand Avenue	C
225 Grand Avenue	C
300-302 Grand Avenue	C
301 Grand Avenue	C
303 Grand Avenue	C
304-306 Grand Avenue	C
305 Grand Avenue	C
307-309 Grand Avenue	C
308-310 Grand Avenue	C
311-313 Grand Avenue	C
315-317 Grand Avenue	C
316-318 Grand Avenue	C
322-324 Grand Avenue	C
326 Grand Avenue	C
400 Grand Avenue	C
402-404 Grand Avenue	C
403 Grand Avenue	C
405 Grand Avenue	C
407-409 Grand Avenue	C
410-412 Grand Avenue	C
411-413 Grand Avenue	C
414 Grand Avenue	C
415-417 Grand Avenue	C
416-418 Grand Avenue	C
419-421 Grand Avenue	C
420 Grand Avenue	C
422 Grand Avenue	C
423-425 Grand Avenue	C
424-426 Grand Avenue	C
428 Grand Avenue	C
430-432 Grand Avenue	C
431-433 Grand Avenue	C
434 Grand Avenue	C
435-437 Grand Avenue	C
439 Grand Avenue	C
933-935 Grand Avenue	C
side, 933-935 Grand Avenue	C
in Smith Park, between Seymour Street and Race Street	C
12 W. Industrial Boulevard	C	AL-IV-A-139-1 -- 12 W. Industrial Boulevard
502 Industrial Boulevard	C
rear, 502 Industrial Boulevard	C
4 Oak Street	C
29 0ak Street	C
35 0ak Street	C
37 Oak Street	C
39 Oak Street	C
45 0ak Street	C
47 Oak Street	C
51 Oak Street	C
55 Oak Street	C
101 Oak Street	C
111 Oak Street	C
113 Oak Street	C
115 Oak Street	C
117 Oak Street	C
119 Oak Street	C
121-123 Oak Street	C
123-127 Oak Street	C
129-131 Oak Street	C
133 Oak Street	C
211 Oak Street	C
213 Oak Street	C
215 Oak Street	C	AL-IV-A-139-2 -- 215 Oak Street
225-227 Oak Street	C
229 Oak Street	C
Oak Street and Second Street	C	AL-IV-A-114 -- Living Stone Church (Church of the Brethren)
8 E. Oldtown Road	C
12 E. Oldtown Road	C
18 E. Oldtown Road	C
102 E. Oldtown Road	C
104 E. Oldtown Road	C
106 E. Oldtown Road	C
300 E. Oldtown Road	C
301 E. Oldtown Road	C
303 E. Oldtown Road	C
305 E. Oldtown Road	C
309 E. Oldtown Road	C
315 E. Oldtown Road	C
401 E. Oldtown Road	C
405 E. Oldtown Road	C
406 E. Oldtown Road	C
410 E. Oldtown Road	C
413 E. Oldtown Road	C
415 E. Oldtown Road	C
416 E. Oldtown Road	C
418-420 E. Oldtown Road	C
501 E. Oldtown Road	C
rear, 309 E. Oldtown Road	C
rear , 501 E. Oldtown Road	C
side, 501 E. Oldtown Road	C
8 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
10 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
11 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
12 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
13 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
14-16 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
17-19 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
18-20 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
21 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
22-24 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
25-27 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
26-28 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
29-31 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
35-37 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
41 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
100-102 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
107 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
110 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
111 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
113-115 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
117 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
119 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
121-123 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
125 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
127 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
130 Pennsylvania Avenue	C	AL-IV-A-173 -- Pennsylvania Avenue School, site
131 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
133 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
135-137 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
200-202 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
201 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
205 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
206 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
209 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
211-213 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
214 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
215 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
217 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
218 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
219 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
223 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
225 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
301 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
302 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
304 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
308-310 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
313 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
314 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
316-318 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
319 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
320-322 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
325-327 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
401-403 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
411 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
412 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
413 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
419 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
421 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
423 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
425 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
429-431 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
433-435 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
437-439 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
440 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
442-444 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
443 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
445 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
446-448 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
447 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
450-452 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
451 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
454-456 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
460 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
rear, 214 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
rear, 304 Pennsylvania Avenue	C
3-5 Race Street	C
7-9 Race Street	C
8-10-12 Race Street	C
11 Race Street	C
14 Race Street	C
16 Race Street	C
18 Race Street	C
23 Race Street	C
25 Race Street	C
26-28 Race Street	C
27 Race Street	C
30-32 Race Street	C
34 Race Street	C
35-37 Race Street	C
36 Race Street	C
39-41-43 Race Street	C
40 Race Street	C
101-103 Race Street	C
105-107 Race Street	C
109 Race Street	C
111-113 Race Street	C
115 Race Street	C
121 Race Street	C
123 Race Street	C
125 Race Street	C
127 Race Street	C
129 Race Street	C
131-133 Race Street	C
201-203 Race Street	C
205 Race Street	C
207 Race Street	C
209 Race Street	C
215 Race Street	C
221 Race Street	C
223 Race Street	C
225 Race Street	C
227-229 Race Street	C
231 Race Street	C
233 Race Street	C
300 Race Street	C
309-311 Race Street	C
310 Race Street	C
313-315 Race Street	C
317 Race Street	C
319 Race Street	C
320 Race Street	C
321-333 Race Street	C
333-335 Race Street	C
336 Race Street	C
401 Race Street	C
403-405 Race Street	C
407 Race Street	C
409-411 Race Street	C
410 Race Street	C
412 Race Street	C
413-415 Race Street	C
416 Race Street	C
417 Race Street	C
420 Race Street	C
424 Race Street	C	AL-IV-A-159 -- Christina Michael Property
426-428 Race Street	C
433 Race Street	C
433-437 Race Street	C
439-441 Race Street	C
443-445 Race Street	C
side, 336 Race Street	C
113-115 Second Street	C	AL-IV-A-139-3 -- 113-115 Second Street
114-116 Seymour Street	C
118-120 Seymour Street	C
122-124 Seymour Street	C
126-128 Seymour Street	C
130 Seymour Street	C
134 Seymour Street	C
138 Seymour Street	C
204 Seymour Street	C
206 Seymour Street	C
208 Seymour Street	C
210 Seymour Street	C
212 Seymour Street	C
214 Seymour Street	C
216 Seymour Street	C
15 South Street	C
19 South Street	C
20 South Street	C
22 South Street	C
24 South Street	C
31 South Street	C
34 South Street	C
37 South Street	C
38 South Street	C
44 South Street	C
45 South Street	C
50 South Street	C
52 South Street	C
104 South Street	C
107 South Street	C
109 South Street	C
110 South Street	C
114-116 South Street	C
122-124 South Street	C
126 South Street	C
128 South Street	C
134 South Street	C
201 South Street	C
204 South Street	C
206 South Street	C
209 South Street	C
210 South Street	C
211 South Street	C
212 South Street	C
214-216 South Street	C
221 South Street	C
300 South Street	C
305 South Street	C
308 South Street	C
309 South Street	C
310 South Street	C
314 South Street	C
315 South Street	C
320 South Street	C
402 South Street	C
406 South Street	C
412 South Street	C
413 South Street	C
415 South Street	C
419 South Street	C
420 South Street	C
427 South Street	C
430 South Street	C
431 South Street	C
432 South Street	C
437 South Street	C
439 South Street	C
rear, 315 South Street	C
side, 300 South Street	C
101 Springdale Street	C
105 Springdale Street	C
107-109 Springdale Street	C
108-110 Springdale Street	C
112 Springdale Street	C
113 Springdale Street	C
114 Springdale Street	C
116-118 Springdale Street	C
120-122 Springdale Street	C
121 Springdale Street	C
125 Springdale Street	C
126 Springdale Street	C
127-129 Springdale Street	C
128 Springdale Street	C
131-133 Springdale Street	C
201 Springdale Street	C
202-204 Springdale Street	C
205 Springdale Street	C
206-208 Springdale Street	C
214 Springdale Street	C
215 Springdale Street	C
217-219 Springdale Street	C
221 Springdale Street	C
227 Springdale Street	C
309 Springdale Street	C
311 Springdale Street	C
315 Springdale Street	C
317-319 Springdale Street	C
323-325 Springdale Street	C
401 Springdale Street	C
404 Springdale Street	C
408 Springdale Street	C
411 Springdale Street	C
413-415 Springdale Street	C
414-416 Springdale Street	C
3 Virginia Avenue	C
6 Virginia Avenue	C
7 Virginia Avenue	C
8-10 Virginia Avenue	C
9 Virginia Avenue	C
11-13 Virginia Avenue	C
12 Virginia Avenue	C
14 Virginia Avenue	C
15-17 Virginia Avenue	C
16 Virginia Avenue	C	AL-IV-A-092 -- Holy Cross Chapel (Episcopal)
19-21 Virginia Avenue	C
22 Virginia Avenue	C
23 Virginia Avenue	C
24 Virginia Avenue	C
25-27-29 Virginia Avenue	C
26 Virginia Avenue	C
28 Virginia Avenue	C
30 Virginia Avenue	C
31 Virginia Avenue	C
32 Virginia Avenue	C
33 Virginia Avenue	C
34 Virginia Avenue	C
35-37 Virginia Avenue	C
36-38 Virginia Avenue	C
42-44 Virginia Avenue	C
43-47 Virginia Avenue	C
100-102 Virginia Avenue	C
108 Virginia Avenue	C
116 Virginia Avenue	C
118-120 Virginia Avenue	C
122-124 Virginia Avenue	C
128 Virginia Avenue	C
130 Virginia Avenue	C
133 Virginia Avenue	C
137 Virginia Avenue	C
138 Virginia Avenue	C
204 Virginia Avenue	C
206 Virginia Avenue	C
208 Virginia Avenue	C
211-213 Virginia Avenue	C
215-217 Virginia Avenue	C
220-222 Virginia Avenue	C
224 Virginia Avenue	C
231-237 Virginia Avenue	C
232-236 Virginia Avenue	C
245 Virginia Avenue	C
249 Virginia Avenue	C
301-305 Virginia Avenue	C
306 Virginia Avenue	C
311-315 Virginia Avenue	C
317 Virginia Avenue	C
323 Virginia Avenue	C
325 Virginia Avenue	C
325 1/2 Virginia Avenue	C
327-331 Virginia Avenue	C
328 Virginia Avenue	C
330-334 Virginia Avenue	C
333-335 Virginia Avenue	C
337 Virginia Avenue	C
402 Virginia Avenue	C
404 Virginia Avenue	C
406 Virginia Avenue	C
409 Virginia Avenue	C
410 Virginia Avenue	C
414 Virginia Avenue	C
416 Virginia Avenue	C
607 Virginia Avenue	C
618-620 Virginia Avenue	C
Virginia Avenue and Industrial Boulevard	C	AL-IV-A-131 -- Cumberland Savings Bank
400 York Place	C
406-408 York Place	C
14 Arch Street	NC
33 Arch Street	NC
35 Arch Street	NC
102-104 Arch Street	NC
116 Arch Street	NC
125 Arch Street	NC
128 Arch Street	NC
209 Arch Street	NC
211-213 Arch Street	NC
214 Arch Street	NC
218 Arch Street	NC
220 Arch Street	NC
315-317 Arch Street	NC
324 Arch Street	NC
411 Arch Street	NC
405 S. Cedar Street	NC
7 Cresap Street	NC	AL-IV-A-139-5 -- 7 Cresap Street
515 E. Fourth Street	NC
Grand Avenue	NC
212-214 Grand Avenue	NC
213-215 Grand Avenue	NC
319 Grand Avenue	NC
320 Grand Avenue	NC
side 114-116 Grand Avenue	NC
in Smith Park, between Seymour Street and Race Street	NC
Industrial Boulevard	NC
201 Oak Street	NC
221 Oak Street	NC
231 0ak Street	NC
near, 55 Oak Street	NC
E. Oldtown Road	NC
E. Oldtown Road	NC	St. Mary's Elementary School
E. Oldtown Road	NC
407 E. Oldtown Road	NC
30 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
32 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
204 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
207 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
208 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
224 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
303-305 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
315 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
321-323 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
400-402 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
404-406 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
427 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
430 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
449 Pennsylvania Avenue	NC
29 Race Street	NC
33 Race Street	NC
219 Race Street	NC
100 Seymour Street	NC
110-112 Seymour Street	NC
200 Seymour Street	NC
18 South Street	NC
26 South Street	NC
35 South Street	NC
41 South Street	NC
48 South Street	NC
51 South Street	NC
100 South Street	NC
113 South Street	NC
118 South Street	NC
205 South Street	NC
207 South Street	NC
312 South Street	NC
405 South Street	NC
424 South Street	NC
Springdale Street	NC
Springdale Street	NC
Springdale Street	NC
Springdale Street	NC
200 Springdale Street	NC
211-213 Springdale Street	NC
409 Springdale Street	NC
410 Springdale Street	NC
419 Springdale Street	NC
110 Virginia Avenue	NC
114 Virginia Avenue	NC
201 Virginia Avenue	NC
219 Virginia Avenue	NC
225 Virginia Avenue	NC
302 Virginia Avenue	NC
308 Virginia Avenue	NC
422-424 Virginia Avenue	NC
600 Virginia Avenue	NC
402-404 York Place	NC
410 York Place	NC
10 E. Oldtown Road
36-38 Pennsylvania Avenue
108 Pennsylvania Avenue