SPARKMAN HOMES
The post-World War II era is a unique study in American cultural and architectural history. As soldiers returned from the war, governments constructed public housing to provide homes for soldiers and their families. In the South, many such housing projects were racially segregated. Many transitioned out of public housing as new, inexpensive single-family house designs and created new opportunities in the post-war era. The Huntsville Housing Authority (Huntsville, Alabama), built Sparkman Homes in 1964 as a part of the city’s efforts to provide affordable housing. In 2018, the HHA decided to re-house the residents of Sparkman Homes, named for Senator Joe Sparkman, and demolish the units. However, the Alabama Historic Commission deemed the property as eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and as part of mitigation efforts required its full documentation. In partnership with the HHA, TVAR completed the necessary documentation in early 2019.
INGLEWOOD PLACE HISTORIC DISTRICT
As part of Section 106 compliance requirements, TVAR conducted a survey and assessment of the Inglewood Place Historic District to determine the potential impact of a proposed undertaking. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A and C in 2016, Inglewood Place is the second oldest neighborhood in the Inglewood suburb of east Nashville. Inglewood Place was initially laid out in 1909 along a streetcar line connecting the area to downtown. The boundaries of the historic district encompass 484 parcels of land, 468 residential buildings, and 131 secondary buildings. Most houses within the historic district represent styles constructed between 1920 and 1949. Among these historic properties is Ivy Hall, individually placed on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C in 1995. Ivy Hall is significant for its representation of the Tudor Revival style. In addition to the historic homes contained within the Inglewood district, the powerline corridor now owned by TVA originated in 1929 under the ownership of the Tennessee Electric Power Company (TEPCO).
