Woodland Avenue

Hello all, first time poster, longtime reader.

My husband and I are about to buy a house on Woodland Avenue, about three blocks south of the Victory Arts Center (where we now live). Does anyone have info on the neighborhood? I know our future house was built in 1930 but that's about all I can find.

Also, I've really enjoyed reading memories of the Hemphill/Berry intersection. It's a shame the theater isn't open for business.

Avenuebabe, I have read some of your other posts, but unfortunately, didn't see this one until tonight. First of all welcome to the forum, and secondly, welcome to the neighborhood. It's late, so I won't explain too much tonight. I don't know very many specifics, but I do know that the stretch of Woodland from College to Hemphill has very many unique houses. The addition is called Our Lady of Victory Heights.

You might want to contact Doug on this forum. He is a neighbor of yours and lives the area. I also live close by.

Hi John! Thanks for the reply.

Since I posted this I've done a little research and found that the subdivision is Pasadena Heights, originally part of a subdivision called Porter Heights. I also found that the neighborhood association is Shaw-Clarke.

I was actually sent a copy of the original plot by our title company, dated August 19, 1908. College Avenue is called Euclid Avenue, and two of the interior streets also have different names.

Avenuebabe,

Which block are you moving to? The block between Hemphill & College was required to be brick homes, as was the block surrounded by Shaw, Lipscomb, Devitt and College (where I live). My Grand Dad was one of the Shaw family for which the street is named. His Mother had a ranch house facing east looking down Shaw Street and situated on the site of the school. They owned a Dairy with about 400 cows on the property of George Clarke Elem. west to the RR and south to the RR. From the 1890’s thru the mid teens.

You are correct about different street names through the years. It seems to me that many of the old names already existed on the older north side like Lee, Spruce, etc. and needed to be renamed.

I live in the South Hemphill Heights N.A. and we work closely with the fledgling (if that is a word) Shaw-Clark N.A. On the 1920 map it appears that Woodland between Hemphill and College didn’t even exist and may have been created from some land on the south edge of the OLV campus (Our Lady of Victory).

Glad to have you as a new neighbor! Get down to Capps Park and the Fire Station 10 soon and get acquainted. Our block, 3200 Lipscomb is becoming reminiscent of the good old days. Most of the neighbors know one another and sit out on their porches and visit regularly. Many of these brick homes, built from ’25 to ’27 have porticocheres (sp) which are not only attractive but real nice in the heat and rain.

Will do a little research and elaborate with more specifics when I get back home. If I recall correctly there may have a small lake just south of the tracks and Biddison in the ‘20’s – only heard it through the grapevine, as I came along in the mid 40’s.

Doug!

Thanks so much for replying. I've lived in the Victory Arts Center for two solid years and have always wondered about the neighborhood. I especially like your neighborhood, north of Shaw, south of Berry, west of Hemphill and east of Adams (are these boundaries correct?). I've spent a lot of time in Capps Park.

The house I'm moving into is actually west of College and east of Henderson. As stated before, I have a map, dated 1908, of the block when College was named Euclid and Bewick and Woodland were named Almond and Nutt, respectively.

Please let me know what a layperson can do to promote her neighborhood.

Thanks again,

Av.

Doug, when was Capps Park made a public park? Was it ever residential area?
Do you know where we can see some old pictures of the old brick Berry ST.?