Highland Park Plaza Historic District
Also known as: 127-0831
Why it's listed
Highland Park Plaza Historic District covers a planned suburban neighborhood north of downtown Richmond, Virginia. The 135-acre Mount Comfort tract was bought for development in 1889, and the area was laid out as a street grid around a central park, with avenues named for states and cross streets named for poets. It was annexed by the city in 1914. The district holds about 163 resources, mostly houses. Early dwellings include narrow side-passage frame houses and elaborate Queen Anne and Colonial Revival homes built for professionals and merchants. Later decades added American Foursquare houses, bungalows, Tudor Revival cottages, Cape Cod and Dutch Colonial houses, garages and small apartment buildings, many built in groups by builders or real estate companies. Civic buildings include the c. 1915 Engine Company No. 15 Firehouse, a rare Craftsman-detailed example, and the park recreation building. The district was recognized for its role in the city's streetcar-suburb growth and for its range of early twentieth-century house types.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district shows the growth of a streetcar-era suburb in Richmond's Northside, marked by Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Foursquare, bungalow and Tudor Revival houses. It also includes civic buildings such as a Craftsman-style firehouse and a park recreation building. It is marked significant under Criteria A and C.
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 04001294, listed December 4, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Meadowbridge Rd., Missouri Ave., City limits, and Detroit Ave., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | December 4, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001294 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne; Colonial Revival; Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most of the district remains in residential use, along with business, recreation and religious uses. |
| Acreage | 185 |
| Coordinates | 37.57427, -77.41548 (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 04001294.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16843229
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.