Historic Huntsville neighborhood recognized on National Register of Historic Places

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A historical Huntsville neighborhood has received a historic marker to recognize its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Edmonton Heights is located northeast of downtown Huntsville and platted in 1958. The neighborhood provided house options for African Americans who lost their homes because of Huntsville’s Urban Renewal program, the Heart of Huntsville.

Residents of the neighborhood included teachers, nurses, brick masons, cab drivers, preachers, cooks and janitors. Reverend Ezekiel Bell, a founding pastor of Fellowship Presbyterian Church, hosted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy in his Edmonton Heights home after the civil rights leaders were denied hotel accommodations.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said the City’s growth shows why it is important to recognize the importance and celebrate the rich legacy of older neighborhoods.

“This historic marker acknowledges a pivotal moment for our African American community during a turbulent time in our nation,” he said. “Preserving neighborhoods like Edmonton Heights provides an opportunity to leverage the lessons of yesterday to build a brighter tomorrow.”

The neighborhood was added to the National Register of Historic Places in June 2021. It was the ninth historic district to receive the designation but the first historically Black residential neighborhood to be listed.

The official marker sits at the corner of Meridian Street and Wilkenson Drive. Click here to learn more about Historic Preservation in Huntsville and click here to visit the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places.

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