Cruising down California Street, popping into Star Super Market to pick up a few groceries and enjoying the autumn décor on the front porches of Pratt Avenue describes a familiar cozy corner of Huntsville. What sounds like it could be right off the set of a Hallmark movie is the Five Points Historic District.
Since the late 1800s, this neighborhood has been a cornerstone of middle-class development in Huntsville, but the homes in Five Points don’t represent a singular design style of bygone eras. The distinct identity of the district emerges through the preservation of its evolving historic landscape.
Five Points began as part of the 1892 East Huntsville Addition, the first true suburb of Huntsville. Following the destruction brought by the Civil War, the East Huntsville Addition was created as local businesses sought to revitalize Huntsville and attract industry and jobs. These efforts brought a new lifestyle to the city’s residents and shifted their streams of income from agriculture to business.
Additionally, Five Points managed to establish deep roots thanks to the construction of accessible transportation for its citizens.
Enter the streetcar line.
This mode of transport permitted working people to live farther than walking distance from their place of employment without relying on an automobile. The ease of transportation applied to economic activity as well. From work to shopping to socializing, the streetcar line allowed residents of Five Points to live in the neighborhood much longer, securing the district’s lifetime in Huntsville for generations to come.
“When people think of historic houses, they often envision grand mansions and high-style architecture. I love Five Points because it is a physical representation of the City recognizing and responding to a need for housing mill workers,” said Katie Stamps, City of Huntsville Preservation Planner. “There is an elegance to the simple designs and modest scale of Five Points that the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission works hard to preserve.”
While some of the original factors contributing to building out Five Points have since been removed or altered, the design variability of the homes stands representative of who came before. Neighborhood housing began with styles popular at the end of the 19 th century and advanced to reflect the entire 20th-century range of architectural design as the district developed.
Dwellings vary from modest one and two-story vernacular Victorian homes that display decorative woodwork to fluctuating bungalow varieties that were popular in the 1920s. The bungalow is primarily identified by a low roofline, broad front porches and one or 1 ½ stories with front dormers.
In the 1950s, Huntsville experienced tremendous growth. Space race, anyone?
Houses were built wherever there were lots vacant. These houses illustrated the prominent ranch style of the time. In a neighborhood of 40-foot-wide lots, these long, low brick homes required at least two lots.
Today, the Five Points neighborhood maintains its 19 th century grid layout of broad, parallel streets, mature trees, narrow but deep lots. Rear service alleys facilitate pedestrian-oriented streets. Its walkability was a significant draw to the area when NASA was working to put man on the moon, and that feature still attracts homeowners today. Walking down the street to your local market, bank, pharmacy or salon cultivates a strong sense of community for the coveted area.
“A long-time phrase is, ‘Five Points may not have everything you want but it has everything you need,’” said Judy Perszyk, Five Points historian and an integral player in establishing the historic district. “If you’re lucky enough to live here, you don’t even have to get in your car, you can walk to enjoy everything.”
Therein lies the strong passion of the neighborhood’s homeowners to preserve the district and its history, but it wasn’t smooth sailing to arrive at that destination.
A possible Five Points Historic District was seriously considered in 1982 when the Historic Huntsville Foundation sponsored a meeting with area residents to assess whether there was sufficient interest in pursuing the process. However, the scope of the proposed area was too large and unworkable in part due to the large number of absentee landowners.
Establishing a historic district is a bit of a process. It requires that petitions requesting historic status be signed by at least 60% of the property owners in a defined area and submitted to the City. A public hearing before the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission follows verification of the petitions. The commission’s recommendation is forwarded to the City Council, which considers the request and votes on the ordinance to establish the district.
From 1994 to 1999, a group of dedicated neighbors worked relentlessly to acquire the necessary petitions, and, finally, the Five Points Historic District was secured.
At over 100 years old, the mature subdivision continues to transcend modern design trends. When walking its streets and avenues, one can see how tastes have changed over time, and yet, the residents of today can look at their homes and see how previous occupants from decades ago felt right at home, too.
Perszyk said it best, “The Five Points Historic District is a desirable, eclectic community where people still know their neighbors. It is a visible reminder of the past, an example of the present and hope for the future.”
