Peachtree Highlands Historic District
Why it's listed
Peachtree Highlands is a modest residential suburb in Atlanta's Buckhead area, platted in 1913 and 1915 and built up mainly between 1920 and 1935. Curving, tree-lined streets with sidewalks and driveways serve narrow lots holding small one-story cottages, along with a few taller houses. Most are vernacular designs influenced by Craftsman, English Cottage and Colonial Revival styles. Several Park Circle houses came as pre-cut kits from a West Virginia company. The McKenzie family trust developed the neighborhood, advertising it in 1921 to working families, with lots priced from $860 to $1,360. Streetcar access on Peachtree Road and a driveway for each lot suited the era's shift toward automobiles. Its significance lies in showing how a suburb for clerks, tradesmen and other lower middle class residents borrowed the amenities of wealthier developments on a smaller scale. It is one of few intact neighborhoods of this kind in Atlanta and the only one in Buckhead. The district counts 105 contributing properties.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant for community planning, architecture and social history. It is an Atlanta example of a streetcar/automobile suburb designed for the lower middle class, in contrast to the affluent suburbs of the same period. It also holds typical modest vernacular houses influenced by Craftsman, English Cottage and Colonial Revival styles, and is one of the few intact lower middle class neighborhoods in the city and the only one in Buckhead.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86001252, listed June 5, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Highland Dr., Martina Dr., E. Pace Ferry, and Piedmont Rds., Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | June 5, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001252 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1921-1935 (active historic development); plats 1913, 1915 |
| Architect / builder | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Vernacular houses influenced by Craftsman, English Cottage and Colonial Revival styles (including Minimal Traditional, Cape Cod and one Dutch Colonial) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied, privately owned residential neighborhood in good condition; 105 contributing properties and 30 non-contributing houses. |
| Acreage | 40 |
| Within district | Peachtree Highlands-Peachtree Park Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.83987, -84.36773 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86001252.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.