Hillcrest (Little Rock) facts for kids
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Hillcrest Historic District
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 Location in Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bounded by Woodrow, Jackson and Markham Streets and North Lookout Road. (original); Roughly bounded by Evergreen, Harrison, Lee and Jackson Sts. (increase), Little Rock, Arkansas |
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| Area | 665 acres (269 ha) (original); 42 acres (17 ha) (size of increase) |
| Architect | Charles L. Thompson, K.E.N. Cole (original) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, Tudor Revival (original) Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Bungalow/Craftsman, Late Victorian (increase) |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001920 (original) 92001356 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 18, 1990 |
| Boundary increase | October 8, 1992 |
Hillcrest Historic District is an historic neighborhood in Little Rock, Arkansas that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1990. It is often referred to as Hillcrest by the people who live there, although the district's boundaries actually encompass several neighborhood additions that were once part of the incorporated town of Pulaski Heights. The town of Pulaski Heights was annexed to the city of Little Rock in 1916. The Hillcrest Residents Association uses the tagline "Heart of Little Rock" because the area is located almost directly in the center of the city and was the first street car suburb in Little Rock and among the first of neighborhoods in Arkansas.
History
Hillcrest was established during the late 19th century in what was at the time, the outskirts of Little Rock. Little Rock's first streetcar system once extended into Hillcrest, with its entry into the neighborhood near the current intersection of Markham Street and Kavanaugh Boulevard in the Stifft's Station neighborhood of Little Rock. The streetcars, in time, aided in the growth and linking of Hillcrest and Pulaski Heights to Little Rock. Numerous houses were built of diverse architectural structures. However, only a few houses that were built in the 19th century are part of the district today. Most of what Hillcrest is today was built in the early part of the 20th century. Hillcrest started to establish itself as one of the key components of Little Rock.
The Hillcrest Historic District includes the former town hall building, and one of the oldest educational institutions in Arkansas—Mount St. Mary Academy—a girls' Catholic school. Hillcrest contains some of Little Rock's most historic construction in both commercial and residential areas.
Additionally, part of Hillcrest overlooks Allsopp Park, a major city park situated between Hillcrest on the south side and the corporate/design-oriented Riverdale neighborhood to its north. Hillcrest tends to be more politically liberal than other areas of the city, including the nearby Heights area. In 2006, Hillcrest voters formed the core of a majority in Arkansas' House District 37, electing Arkansas' first openly gay member of the state's House of Representatives.
Architectural styles
Many of what make Hillcrest a historic district and famous neighborhood are the sought-after houses of diverse architectural styles. Ranging from Prairie to Queen Anne style, the houses were built from all different time periods to represent Hillcrest as a different type on suburb. The different types of houses contained in the historic district include:
- Queen Anne
- Colonial Revival
- Pyramid Cottages
- Prairie
- "Foursquare"
- Craftsman
- Craftsman Bungalow
- "Period Houses" - English Revival
- Modernistic Houses
- Commercial
