Fisher Park is a neighborhood in the north central area of the North Carolina city of Greensboro, which is located in the United States. When Captain Basil J. Fisher donated the lowlands for a city park that bears his name in 1901, he transformed a marsh into one of Greensboro’s most attractive Gilded Era addresses. The area is now known as Fisher Park.
Those who lived in Fisher Park took full advantage of the plentiful lots overlooking the park by engaging some of the city’s greatest architects to create often opulent mansions for them. According to local legend, this neighborhood was Greensboro’s first suburb, and it is also the city’s most popular historic district.
After the construction of a handy trolley route through the heart of the area in 1902, businessmen, bankers, and professionals began to build residences in the district that were based on prominent national architectural styles. They included Prairie School style, which was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright, American Craftsman style, which was rooted in California, and Colonial Revival style, which was influenced by New England.
After that, it was overshadowed by Irving Park, which lies only a mile to the north and served as the cultural epicenter of Greensboro until it was demolished. The Fisher Park Historic District was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, and its boundaries were expanded in 1996 to include more properties.
The 1950s and 1960s posed challenges to the neighborhood adjoining Greensboro’s central business district, as office growth threatened to supplant historic residences in the area. The neighborhood was designated as Greensboro’s second historic district in 1982, marking a significant step forward in efforts to limit growth and change. Since then, the rate of destruction of historic dwellings has halted, the park has undergone a much-needed facelift, and land values have skyrocketed as a result of the revitalization.
The tree-lined streets and lush park of Fisher Park continue to be a popular destination for city residents who stroll around the park during lunchtime, participate in infrequent house tours, and enjoy a cool respite from the summer heat.
Among the many private historic homes in the region, some of which date back to the nineteenth century, are The Elms, the Dixon-Leftwich-Murphy House, and the Cumming House, to name a few. A greater range of twentieth-century styles can be found in other buildings, such as the Tudor-style John Marion Galloway House, the prairie-style Latham-Baker House, the Classical Revival-style Henry C. Simpson House, and the lovely Spanish-style Casa Sevilla Apartments.