Historic Kenwood is located just west of downtown St. Petersburg and is one of a handful of our city's 109 neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 
Home to more than 2500 residents living in over 1100 single family homes, the neighborhood has one of the highest concentrations of bungalows in Florida.  Many of the homes date from the 1920s, when the Arts and Crafts movement had reached its zenith in cities as diverse as San Diego, Denver, Chicago, and, of course, St. Petersburg.
 

    Our beautiful Pavilion in Seminole Park (3rd Ave. North and 29th Street, Pictured above)  was built with the dedicated work of HKNA's members - an impressive membership that continues to grow!

    BungalowFest, an annual tour of homes celebrating the architectural richness of our community, Held the first Saturday in November, this is our main fundraiser for the year. Funds generated here help us support charitable activities and pay for neighborhood improvements, such as our custom street signs and corner plantings.

      Easter Egg Hunt. Held the Saturday before Easter Sunday, neighborhood volunteers decorate the park and hide LOADs of surprise-filled plastic eggs for neighborhood kids to find. The HKNA Bunny presides over the festivities. 

    Art in the Park. New in 2007, this invitation-only art festival was a huge hit with shoppers and artists alike. For more information on the next Art in the Park, scheduled for March 14, 2009, please click here .

A Short History of Historic Kenwood

The housing in Historic Kenwood is typical of St. Petersburg development from the 1920s through the 1950s.  While many styles are evident, from Frame Vernacular to Minimal Traditional, Colonial, Mediterranean and Ranch, bungalows of some sort (typically Craftsman) constitute over 50 percent of the homes.
 
St. Petersburg High School (1926), listed on the National Register of Historic Places, sits in the heart of Historic Kenwood along 5th Avenue North.
 
When the first housing survey was completed in 1995, during the process of applying for historic status, there were 1104 structures in Historic Kenwood.  Interestingly, not all of these homes were built on their current sites.  Approximately 170 bungalows were relocated to Historic Kenwood during the 1930's, helping to cement its bungalow identity.
 
As was the case with many inner city areas, the neighborhood fell into neglect beginning in the 1950s.  Interstate 275 was built in the 1970s, forming Historic Kenwood's eastern boundary.  U.S. 19 or 34th Street, the western boundary, became more commercial during this time.  The traditional "mom and pop" businesses on the southern boundary along Central Avenue declined.
 
In the early 1990s urban pioneers began a neighborhood revival in both Historic Kenwood and the Grand Central District which continues full steam today, during which many beautiful restorations to these historic homes and businesses have been made.  (See them in the Photo Gallery.)  These efforts reached a milestone when Historic Kenwood received its historic status from the National Register on August 4, 2003.     

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