History

Courtesy of John Lofland.

Neighborhood History

The origins of the Old North neighborhood go back, at least, to the early 20th Century. This was the unplanned and sporadic development that took place north of 5th St., the northern boundary of the original plat of Davis (Davisville). Then in 1913, W.C.Bowers created a subdivision of 5 blocks running from B to G Streets. This, combined with the 6 blocks-to-be between 5th and 6th became what we call Old North Davis. These lots were then populated at a sleepy pace until after World WarII. This resulted in a heterogeneous collection of residential building styles, fashionable and not-so-fashionable, from the teens to the early 50's. This small area accomodated working families with very modest incomes as well as some of the town's professionals and entrepeneurs which enhanced the variety of the neighborhood. But the small lot size, restrained floor plans, service alleys, and extensive landscaping, along with the scarcity of streetside garages and driveways give the Old North it's distinctive look and feel.

Resources

If you wish to pursue the neighborhood's history in more depth, we refer you to Old North resident John Lofland's website: oldnorthdavishistory.org