Highland Park

Highland Park, developed between 1910 and 1926 by Kimball & Richards Land Merchants, with development continuing through the 1940s, is an important historical subdivision in Salt Lake City, Utah and is significant under National Register. At the turn of the century America experienced a huge speculative real estate boom outside the core urban areas as cities became more industrial. Highland Park is significant for its place in this movement as a local forerunner of subdivisions providing complete real estate services. It is also significant as an architecturally cohesive neighborhood from the early twentieth century, having a high percentage (80%) of buildings that retain their historic integrity.

The Highland Park Historic District in Salt Lake City is located just south of the Sugar House business district, separated only by lnterstate-80, which covers historic Parley’s Creek. The subdivision sits on Salt Lake City’s east bench and is primarily represented by residential building stock on tree-lined gridded streets. The neighborhood is characterized by landscaping features including uniform setbacks and similarities in house types, styles, and materials. Most of the homes are moderate single-family dwellings with a small mix of duplexes and apartment buildings. There is a small business district running along the west side of the south end of Highland Drive, which was established during the historic period, but has been altered and does not contribute to the Highland Park Historic District. However, several contributing commercial buildings at the north end of Highland Drive are historic (having replaced homes built by the original developers, Kimball & Richards in the late 1920s.

An important change took place in 1967 when 1300 East widened on the east side, and this boulevard now bisects the Highland Park Historic District running north and south, but does not significantly impact the historic association and feeling that remains across the width of this street. The twenty-six block Highland Park Historic District retains a high degree of historic integrity with 97% of the buildings dating from the historic period of significance (1910-40s).