Longview Gardens Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Longview Gardens Historic District
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Lord Berkley Road
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bounded roughly by King Charles Rd, Poole Rd, Donald Ross Dr, Albemarle Ave, Longview Lake Dr, and New Bern Ave,, Raleigh, North Carolina |
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| Area | 350 acres (140 ha) |
| Built | 1938-1965 |
| Architect | Thomas Cooper, William H. Deitrick, Charles Gillette, Lewis Polier, James Salter |
| Architectural style | Ranch, Split Level, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival |
| MPS | Post-World War II and Modern Architecture in Raleigh, North Carolina, 1945-1965 |
| NRHP reference No. | 10001113 |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 2011 |
The Longview Gardens Historic District is a special neighborhood in Raleigh, North Carolina. It's known for its history after World War II. This area is about 1 1/2 miles east of downtown Raleigh.
A "historic district" means a group of buildings, structures, or sites that are important because of their history or architecture. Longview Gardens has 189 important buildings and five important sites.
Some cool places in the district include the Raleigh Country Club golf course. It was designed by a famous golfer named Donald Ross. You can also find Longview Baptist Church (built around 1955) and Milner Memorial Presbyterian Church (built in 1946). Both churches are great examples of Modernist architecture, which is a style that uses new ideas and materials.
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How Longview Gardens Was Built
This neighborhood was developed between 1938 and 1965. A man named Clarence Poe led the project. He was the editor of a magazine called The Progressive Farmer.
The design of Longview Gardens was created by Charles Gillette. He was a landscape architect from Richmond, Virginia. Gillette was inspired by the "City Beautiful movement." This was a plan to make cities more beautiful and organized.
The City Beautiful Movement
The City Beautiful movement was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It aimed to improve cities with parks, grand buildings, and nice streets. The idea was that beautiful surroundings would make people happier and better citizens.
Gillette's design for Longview Gardens included streets that curved instead of being straight. These streets were on both sides of a planned parkway. This made the neighborhood feel more natural and scenic.
Different Building Styles Over Time
The Longview Gardens neighborhood grew in three main stages. The first stage was from 1938 to 1940. The second stage was in 1948. The final stage was in 1959.
Because it grew over time, the homes in Longview Gardens show different building styles.
Early Home Styles
The first homes built before World War II used styles like Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival.
- Colonial Revival homes often look like old American colonial houses. They might have columns, symmetrical windows, and brick or wood siding.
- Tudor Revival homes often look like old English cottages. They might have steep roofs, tall chimneys, and decorative half-timbering (wood beams on the outside walls).
Later Home Styles
Homes built later, after World War II, used newer styles. These included the Ranch and Split-level home styles.
- Ranch homes are usually one story and spread out horizontally. They are often simple and open inside.
- Split-level homes have different floor levels that are offset from each other by half a story. This creates distinct living areas.
Why Longview Gardens is Important
Longview Gardens is the largest and most artistic neighborhood built in Raleigh during the mid-20th century. It still looks much like it did when it was first built.
Because of its history and design, Longview Gardens was added to the National Register of Historic Places in January 2011. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. Being on this list helps protect the neighborhood's special character.
