Highland Park

 

North Highland Park: Milton St. and Maryland Ave. (early 20th century)

North Highland Park: Milton St. and Maryland Ave. (2016)

Site Name: Highland Park 

Date of Construction: Annexed on September 1st, 1914 

Reason for Construction: Private residence and small business ventures 

Area History:

What about the site has changed? Formerly known as Chestnut-Hill Plateau District, Highland Park is a 3-part neighborhood that consist of North Highland Park, South Highland Park, and East Highland Park that is known for its being a historic neighborhood in the 1900s and still having residential Queen Style homes. In 1914, a decree of annexation to place and a number of areas were created alongside Highland Park during the early 1900s. Ginter Park, Barton Heights, and Forest Hill are some of the areas they were annexed as well. The neighborhood’s population consisted of many White-Americans and Europeans, Germans and Italians mostly, but today the area is predominantly the home of many African-Americans. Richmond Magazine says that Highland Park was a “suburban trolley-dependent enclaves,” and “residential prohibitions blocked blacks from living there.”  After WWII, the wealthy white families living in Highland Park left and migrated to the West End of Richmond. This allowed for the arrival of African-American families. One of those families happened to includ a young little girl, Dr. Louise Neville Caine, who would grow up to have the famous "Welcome to Highland Park" dedicated to her and to be my neighbor. Though she does not live in the same exact house, 40+ years later she says "Not much about Highland Park has changed except the race of people that live in the community." The new neighborhood had mini-markets, trolleys, and many public schools in the area. These schools and markets that were born with the neighborhood have since been closed, but they are now being reopened and renovated for new purposes. 

What about the surrounding area has changed? Since many of the businesses that were ensconced in Highland Park had been closed, people general do not come to the area for economic reasons anymore. The area is solely for people to reside, though with the development and renovations of the old markets and other businesses, Highland Park may return to being the neighborhood that also brings in money like it once was before. 

Reflection: From this project, I've learned that my neighborhood, Highland Park, is a historic area that has been a place for many businesses to make money and the home of many immigrants and later African-Americans. Growing up in South Highland Park for 8 years, I've never thought about the history I am living in. I take it for granted and think of it as just a regular neighborhood, but because of this project I have had the opportunity to learn that it is more than just a neighborhood and to explore the other parts of my neighborhood that I have not had the chance to learn about. 

Sources: 

Dr. Caine, interviewed by Demetra McFadden, Highland Park, February 2016. 

Kollatz, Jr. Harry. “Ripe for Renewal”. 

   Richmond Mag. January 6, 2015.    

   Accessed March 4, 2016. http://

   richmondmagazine.com/news/richmond-

   history/highland-park-history/

Author: Demetra McFadden