Mount Auburn? That sounds interesting, I thought to myself, and then discovered that there was a historic site related to future president William Howard Taft. After taking a terrible photo of his boyhood home, I photographed many of the houses along Auburn Avenue, which follows the crest of the hill.

The siting of Mount Auburn is stunning, and due to its steep incline, was reached by what I call a funicular railroad, which brought residents up to the top of the hill.

The stars of the street are built in the Italianate style, as would be expected by the years of its first settlement.

This belvedere on the roof of this asymmetrical house is a nice touch. The windows would be opened on the lower floors and on this cupola, and theoretically the hot air would be drawn upwards and out of the house.

Luxury condos are coming, as well!

Central hall mansions are common, as well.

Later architectural styles, such as the French Renaissance Revival, inspired by châteaux such as Chenonceaux, also began to crop up.

Since ancient times, the wealthy settled on top of hills for obvious reasons; cool breezes made the location desirable, and more importantly, blew away thick coal smoke that would have settled in the valley.