Arnold Hartmann was born on December 25, 1878, in Schildberg, Germany. His parents, Soloman Hartmann of Germany and Rosalia Grabowski of Poland, brought him to Boston in 1880 when he was two years old. He attended Boston Latin School through the eighth grade and then worked as a clerk at various places in Boston.

Eventually, he found himself in the wool and leather business and lived for several years in Buenos Aires, Argentina. By 1915, he had formed his own leather and wool company called Hartmann Brothers with his brother Ed. (See Arnold Hartmann: Correspondence, 1936-1947 for a collection of papers related to Hartmann's World War II business and family correspondence.)

Arnold's start in real estate came in 1918 when he bought the former Levi Wade Estate in Oak Hill. Though it was bought for his home, he began developing this and other land in the area. In 1924, the Oak Hill Trust was formed to fulfill his dream of creating the residential community Oak Hill Village. He continued to work on this development project for most of his life. Arnold died in Newton, Massachusetts, on September 30, 1962, at the age of 83.

This collection contains the business papers of Arnold Hartmann, a real estate developer in the Oak Hill section of Newton, Massachusetts. The papers span the period from 1924 through 1960. It contains incorporation documents, certificates, agreements, deeds, mortgages, correspondence, minutes, real estate appraisal reports, audit reports, balance sheets, invoices, ledgers, brochures, land plans and maps, architectural drawings, photographs, and news clippings. These records provide a valuable perspective on the development of a section of suburban Newton, Massachusetts, during the twentieth century.

Hartmann's development of Newton began with Oak Hill Village in 1924. It was the first major development to be completely dependent on the automobile without access to public transportation. By 1955 there were six subdivisions: Cedar Grove, Oak Hillside, Baldpate and Fox Hill, all in Oak Hill Village; Baldpate Hill and Fox Meadow.

Of particular note in this collection is a bound evaluation report done by the Consultation Bureau of the National Association of Real Estate Boards, which is based in Chicago. This provides a detailed overview of Oak Hill Village in 1929. Also of interest are the appraisal reports written in 1953-1954, as well as a letter by Hartmann dated December 19, 1941, in which he provides an overview of his role in the development of Newton.

No. of boxes: 2 record cartons
Finding Aids: Yes

References:
Arnold Hartmann Correspondence, 1936-1947