10 Historic Neighborhoods in the US

Pullman - Chicago, IL

Pullman, a neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, is a relic of a bygone era, where companies developed fully functioning neighborhoods for their employees and their families.

Established by industrialist George Pullman, his eponymous neighborhood had schools, churches, stores, and even a library. Pullman also provided workers living in this neighborhood with unheard-of services at the time, like indoor plumbing, private yards, and daily trash removal.

George Pullman was seen by contemporaries as an exemplar of humane, sanitary, and safe living conditions and was a major draw during the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. The neighborhood was incorporated into the city of Chicago in 1889 and George Pullman died shortly after in 1897.

Although some of the remnants of this social experiment are long gone like George Pullman's mansion on Prairie Avenue that was torn down in the 1920s, you can still witness some of the historic buildings and landmarks such as the Pullman Administration Building and Clock Tower or the Queen Anne architecture of Hotel Florence, which is undergoing major renovations for future use as a state historic site.

North End - Boston, MA

The North End in Boston, Massachusetts, is the city's oldest residential community and can claim residents as diverse as Paul Revere, JFK's grandfather, and Increase Mather, the founder of Massachusetts Bay Colony.

North End's influx of Italians throughout the 1630s can still be seen today in the neighborhood's large number of Italian restaurants and institutions. The Italian influence is so potent that the neighborhood still celebrates the patron saints of the regions of their forefathers in the summer months.

You'll find a few historic buildings that display a mixture of architectural styles, including a handful of striking Georgian homes, while the rest of the neighborhood consists of late 19th to early 20th century designs. Today, you can visit Paul Revere's home built in 1680, Pierce-Hichborn House built in 1711, and the Old North Church built in 1723.

Most of the more historic structures have been replaced with urban designs and multi-unit apartment buildings to accommodate the growing population and evolving tastes. After the 1970s, the North End was revitalized and converted into a luxury housing and business district.

Montford - Asheville, NC

It is fitting that Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry are buried in Montford. Both writers would have appreciated the neighborhood's casual extravagance and stubborn resistance to change its character.

Most of the homes here are colonial, neoclassical, and Victorian styles that date from the 1890s to 1920s when the area was developed as a haven for the city's middle-class residents, businessmen, lawyers, and doctors.

The best way to appreciate all of the history and beauty this neighborhood has to offer is by taking a guided walking or bus tour.

Society Hill - Philadelphia, PA

Society Hill is a historic neighborhood that was nearly bulldozed out of existence. When plans for Interstate 95 called for the destruction of a portion of the neighborhood, residents resisted, eventually forcing the city to capitulate.

One glance at this historic neighborhood and one can see why it's worth saving. Charming Georgian-style homes line the cobblestone streets in this neighborhood that is anchored by Headhouse Square, which hosts the longest-running farmers market in the city's history.

Georgetown - Washington D.C.

Georgetown was actually its own designated city back in 1751 until it was incorporated into Washington D.C. in 1871. This neighborhood, also home to Georgetown University, is full of historical buildings, landmarks, and vintage homes. The neighborhood is full of pre-revolutionary buildings and historic houses that were built after 1800 like Tudor Place and Old Stone House.

You'll also see quaint, tree-lined streets with Colonial-style townhomes as well as large, luxurious mansions that once served as residences for some of the most illustrious public figures in American history including Thomas Jefferson, Francis Scott Key, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Pioneer Square - Seattle, WA

Pioneer Square was Seattle's first neighborhood, dating back to 1852. Located along Elliott Bay, Pioneer Square features beautiful Romanesque-style buildings with red and white brick designs.

You can take underground tours of old Seattle's three sections of historic passageways where you will hear stories of the city's past as well as see a stunning display of 1890s architecture. Pioneer Square embodies the past as much as it embraces the future, being the home of the Seattle Mariners, numerous galleries, and some of the most innovative restaurants in the city.

French Quarter - New Orleans, LA

The French Quarter is not only a vibrant and entertaining tourist destination in New Orleans, but it is also the oldest neighborhood in the city. Founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, this designated National Historic Landmark has a variety of buildings that date before the 1800s with a few 19th- and 20th-century additions.

The neighborhood's character comes from the architecture, which is mostly in the Spanish and French styles, which were popular during the Colonial period. You can see townhouses with elaborately decorated ironwork balconies as well as colorful walls situated along narrow streets.

Some of the French Quarter's famous landmarks and attractions include Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, and St. Louis Cathedral.

Fell's Point - Baltimore, MD

This historic waterfront neighborhood was established in 1763 and offers a rich, nautical history. Nestled along the Baltimore Harbor and Patapsco River, Fell's Point was home to old shipyards where some of the first U.S. Navy ships were built.

This neighborhood is not just home to historical sites—there is also a wide selection of bars and restaurants. While barhopping, you can check out the Robert Long House or The Horse You Came in On Saloon, which is one of the country's oldest bars and the former hangout spot for Edgar Allan Poe.

Corktown - Detroit, MI

Corktown has the dubious designation of being one of the only historical neighborhoods that hasn't been burned down. This historic district lies just west of the downtown area and has many Victorian homes and cottages that were built by Irish settlers during the 1830s and 1840s. 

The Great Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s caused many Irish families to migrate to this section of the city where they put down their roots and spread their culture throughout the region. Although Corktown didn't exist when Detroit was a French settlement in the 1800s, it is still the city's oldest neighborhood, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

King William - San Antonio, TX

King William was farmland for the Mission San Antonio de Valero between 1716 and 1724, which is known as the Alamo. It was then taken over by German immigrants around the 1860s and the farmland was divided into housing where they settled and built homes.

King William has since been transformed into the city's most elegant neighborhood. Many of the homes in this historic district feature architectural styles like Greek revival, Victorian, and Italianate. Notable mansions, like Villa Finale and the Steves Homestead Museum, add to the quaint beauty of the San Antonio river that runs through the neighborhood.