Washington Park Historic District
Why it's listed
Washington Park is a historically African-American neighborhood roughly two miles west of downtown Atlanta, bounded by Ashby Street, the Norfolk Southern Railroad, Simpson Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. It grew from four subdivision plats, giving it both gridiron and curvilinear streets. African-American developer Heman Perry adopted several plans earlier abandoned by white developers and offered Black families housing opportunities previously limited to whites. Most houses date from 1919 to 1958, and the bungalow is the most common type, alongside English cottages, Georgian houses and Colonial Revival homes. Community landmarks include a 1930 hospital, a 1925 theater, a 1955 International Style bank and a 1911 school. Washington Park, begun in 1919 and finished at 25 acres in 1928, was the first city recreational park available to Black Atlantans. Highway and transit construction, public housing and neglect have removed some historic buildings and park features, yet much of the original layout survives.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is significant for its role in African-American community development in Atlanta. Developer Heman Perry and later Black-owned firms built housing here that had previously been available only to whites. Washington Park, begun in 1919, was the city's first recreational park open to African-Americans. The area also holds intact examples of Craftsman bungalows and other early 20th-century house types.
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 00000071, listed February 28, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. and Ashby St., Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | February 28, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000071 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Heman Perry (developer); Service Construction and Engineering Company; Aiken and Faulkner Company (later Aikens Construction Company) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, English Vernacular Revival, Craftsman/bungalow, International style |
| Areas of significance | Black, Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Some historic fabric has been lost to MARTA construction, modern housing and redevelopment; the park, houses and community buildings remain in use. Heman Perry's "Dream House" at 996 Simpson Street is vacant. |
| Acreage | 155 |
| Coordinates | 33.76092, -84.42094 (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 00000071.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7972094
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.