A casual, informal relationship to the river characterized the historic Riverside Neighborhood. Its eastern streets tucked into the meander of the riverbank, its tree-lined avenues eased into the park. The neighborhood was established over six decades, from the 1880s to the 1940s, and home styles from each decade are faithfully represented within the Riverside Neighborhood Historic District. Architectural styles range from detailed Queen Anne designs in the east to simple cottages in the south and west. Much of the neighborhood’s interior contains sturdy American Foursquares and a variety of Revival styles: Tudor, Classical and Dutch.
The Riverside City Park was originally platted for residential development and was also considered as a possible site for the University of North Dakota. Instead, it evolved into a recreation site for the young community. Park activities ranged from band concerts and outdoor church services to swimming, camping, sports, hunting and picnics. The existing Riverside Pool and Bathhouse were completed by the WPA in 1941. The Bathhouse is the only substantial civic architecture in the neighborhood and is an exceptional example of Streamline Moderne style.
The construction of a levee system following the 1997 flood has visually distanced the neighborhood from the Park and the river, but the mature tree canopies, spacious yards, rear-sited garages, natural plantings, and the careful infill of vacant lots with appropriately styled homes all contribute to the historic sensibility and park-like ambiance of the Riverside Neighborhood Historic District.
Read the National Register nomination here.
