Norwood Park is a 26-acre planned community north of downtown Asheville. The neighborhood is bounded by Murdock, Norwood, Woodward and Farrwood Avenues, between Merrimon and Kimberly Avenues.
Designed in 1914, Norwood Park was advertised as adjoining the “golf links” (the Grove Park golf course). The neighborhood was planned to fill a need for middle class housing at the northern reaches of the city’s streetcar system. Capturing elements of the popular “Suburb Beautiful” movement, the neighborhood features a curvi-linear network of tree-lined streets following natural topography, sidewalks, some open spaces and houses following the latest architectural trends of the early 20th century. To cater to the growing popularity of the automobile, the neighborhood was planned with small garages and a system of alleys.
Residents of Norwood Park historically were, and remain, a mix of property owners and renters. Residents included business owners and other professionals (physicians, dentists, accountants, lawyers, retired army personnel, insurance agents, postal workers, and U. S. and State Forest Service workers), as well as people who worked for Asheville businesses. Norwood Park’s residents value the sense of community and neighborliness due to close proximity to other households. The neighborhood is very walkable, and is connected closely with commercial services (restaurants, banking, pharmacies, etc) and amenities including greenways, parks, UNC-A and Botanical Gardens.
Norwood Park Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in August 2008 as a locally significant district with 155 contributing structures. The district’s architecture and layout represents the city’s housing boom during the first three decades of the twentieth century, along with some additional building during the late 1930s through the 1950s.
Norwood Park Neighborhood Association organized approximately 20 years ago. In 2001, the association’s purpose was described “…to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood through the cooperative efforts of its members.” Currently the neighborhood association sponsors four annual events:
- Annual yard sale in May
- July 4th Gathering
- Fall Festival and Chili Cook-off in October
- December Holiday Potluck
Residents are looking forward to continuing and expanding the association’s mission by “…engaging a wide diversity of Norwood Park neighbors in community-building through social events, welcoming groups, issue-driven committees, neighborhood improvements and philanthropy” as well as upholding the historic quality and setting of the neighborhood.
Norwood Park’s residents have expressed the desire to have additional sidewalks on neighborhood streets where there are none, and crosswalks across busy Kimberly and Merrimon avenues. Long-term remedies are being sought to address congested parking on narrow streets.