Aurora Highlands Historic District facts for kids
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Aurora Highlands Historic District
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 Location in District of Columbia
Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bounded by 16th St. S., S. Eads St., 26th St. S., and S. Joyce St., Arlington, Virginia |
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| Area | 128.8 acres (52.1 ha) |
| Built | 1896-1930 |
| Architect | Morrill, Milton Dana; et al. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Colonial Revival, Italianate |
| MPS | Historic Residential Suburbs in the United States, 1830-1960 MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 08001018 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 22, 2008 |
The Aurora Highlands Historic District is a special area in Arlington County, Virginia. It's like a preserved neighborhood. This district has 624 important buildings. It also includes two special sites and one structure.
This neighborhood was created from three smaller areas. These areas were planned between 1896 and 1930. Most buildings here are single-family homes. You can also find some twin houses and duplexes. There are three churches, two schools, and two parks.
The oldest house in the district was built around 1870. It is in the Greek Revival style. Most of the buildings, however, are in the Colonial Revival style.
Parking Rules and the Supreme Court
In the early 1970s, many people worked in Crystal City. This area was right next to Aurora Highlands. Workers would park their cars in the Aurora Highlands neighborhood. This caused a lot of traffic and made it hard for residents to find parking.
To solve this, Arlington County created a new rule. It was called "residential zoned parking." This rule meant that only people living in Aurora Highlands could park on the streets there. The county hoped this would reduce air pollution. It also aimed to protect the neighborhood's quiet feel.
Some people thought this rule was unfair. They filed a lawsuit. They argued it violated the Fourteenth Amendment. This amendment says everyone should be treated equally by the law.
The case went to the Virginia Supreme Court. This court agreed that the parking rule was unconstitutional. They said it gave residents more rights than others.
However, the county then took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. This is the highest court in the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court disagreed with the Virginia court. They said the parking rule was okay. They explained that if a rule helps a state's good interests, like reducing pollution, it can be legal.
National Recognition
The Aurora Highlands Historic District is very important. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. This means it is recognized for its historical value.
