Avondale Park Historic District

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The Avondale Park Historic District is comprised of a total of 525 resources, of which 428 are Contributing (i.e., retain most of their historic character). These contributing resources include the 40-acre centerpiece of Avondale Park itself. The Period of Significance for the district is considered to be from 1886, the year the Park and the City of Avondale were created

, until 1947, comporting with the 50-year rule of the Department of the Interior in listing historic resources. According to National Register criteria, areas of significance for the district are, first, Entertainment and Recreation, and secondly, Architecture. Avondale Park is one of the City's earliest parks, created around Avondale Springs along old Huntsville stage route and a favorite site for both travelers and local people. Its natural beauties have been enhanced over the years by man-made structures, many created out of local stone, and the work to build them funded by a municipal program of parks improvement similar to what the federal government eventually did with the Works Progress Administration. Facilities include picnic shelters, a rose garden, playing fields and courts, an amphitheatre, a villa and smaller pavilions. The Avondale Library was sited on the northwest corner in 1908, and its modern replacement remains on that spot. The Park was also the site of Birmingham's first zoo, a small collection that was located there from 1913 until forced to close in the Depression. The Park has continued to be an integral part of the Avondale neighborhood and has recently been refurbished and restored by an active group of dedicated Friends of Avondale Park. The Park District is also significant for its intact streetscapes of late 19th and early 20th century houses and commercial buildings, reflecting the growth and development of the area from 1890 to the modern period. Included in the district are impressive examples of a variety of residential styles, forms and trends, including Queen Ann, Craftsman/Bungalow, 20th century revivals of Tudor, Colonial, French and Mediterranean styles, and more modest styles of vernacular T and L plan and pyramidal-roof cottages. The small commercial area contains good examples of one and two story commercial blocks, some retaining original appearances. The entire district maintains a high degree of integrity despite some post 1960s modern apartments and other changes. For more detailed information about historic resources, refer to the nomination of the Avondale Park district to the National Register of Historic Places, which contains a complete inventory. BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

Boundaries of the Avondale Park Historic District are outlined on the attached map and defined by the attached legal description. Generally, the District is bound by Third Avenue South on the north, by Clairmont Avenue on the South, on the west by 34th Street South and on the east by 47th Street South. It is somewhat leggy on the west, taking in an area near Clairmont that has remained relatively intact despite a concentration of modern apartment and commercial intrusions. On the south from 39th to 42nd Streets the District lies alongside the Forest Park Historic District. Beyond this to the east, a 1950s-era residential development separates the two older districts. Description taken from the Local Historic Advisory Committee Orientation Manual, prepared by The City of Birmingham Department of Planning, Engineering & Permits Urban Design Division, March 2006