The Glen Iris Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. early 1900's.
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
Glen Iris Park is a virtually intact privately-owned early twentieth century residential community located in the rapidly transforming area of the University of Alabama in Birmingham. It covers thirty acres of lush Southside land, on a knoll just to the north of Red Mountain; it is bounded on its south side by 16th Avenue South . Glen Iris Park is in the immediate vicini
ty of the historically significant Idlewilde Circle, Cullom Street and llth Avenue South. South of the Park is the sprawling University of Alabama in Birmingham whose tenacles, primarily in the form of multiple housing, have reached into areas all around Glen Iris Park. Visual unity is achieved by similarity of setback:, scale, and height, and due to the fact that most buildings were constructed between 1902-1920. All of the homes are two-story and set back at least 100 feet from the street; the servants' quarter seen with the Naff House (Inv. #8) is one-story. Each house looks out onto a central privately-owned keyshaped park; there is a private street entrance and road which circles around the park. Houses display a rich, striking variety of style, materials, and decorative detail. Four are of the symmetrical Colonial Revival style; three are Colossal Classical Portico; and there is one example each of Victorian Colonial Revival, Romanesque Revival, Classic Box with Prairie influence, and Spanish Colonial Revival, Stucco, brick and stone are the most commonly used materials although two buildings were constructed primarily of clapboards. The most prominent architectural features include massive Ionic columns on the
facade, varandas, tile roofs, intricate brickwork, balusters and balustrades, and various sizes and shapes of dormers. While all reflect the tastes and desires of Birmingham's early twentieth century upper classes, there is a great variation between the most elaborate houses (the Jemison House - Inv. #6 and the Harding House - Inv. #7) which are also set on the largest lots, and the least elaborate buildings (the Frazier House -Inv. #9, the Yancey House - Inv. #11, and the Harwell-Thompson House - Inv. #14). Of the 17 structures (16 houses and 1 servants 1 quarter), all are contributing; all are currently used as residential properties and all but one are occupied and maintained in good condition. BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION
The boundaries of the district correspond exactly with, the boundaries of Glen Iris Park as it was originally-laid out and landscaped in the. Although, there are three vacant lots in the Park as a result of some 1970s 1 demolitions, this does not detract from the overall quality of the district as a unique entity. Description taken from the National Register of Historic Places Inventory- Nomination Form
