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Our History
Located one block north of the Historic C-Street district, the Woodland Heights neighborhood began when Edwin T. Robberson, Charles Harwood and Sempronius H. Boyd formed the Ozark Land Company. These men speculatively purchased the property around and north of Commercial Street. With the incentives of land donations and profits from the sale of platted land, they were instrumental in the Pacific and Atlantic Railroad decision to locate their line one mile north of Springfield. From this the new town of North Springfield was created. The eastern part of the Woodland Heights neighborhood was included in the initial plat of North Springfield in 1870. The neighborhood name is derived from the Woodland Heights Subdivision, which was platted after consolidation of Springfield and North Springfield in late 1880’s.
Included in the 1870 plat of North Springfield was one of Springfield’s first two city parks. Lafayette Park was originally platted as a public square, possibly to compete with the Old Town's public square during the North Springfield era. In the early years Lafayette sported a bandstand for weekend and summer activities and was encircled by a fence to keep cattle out.
In 1902 the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge was built, connecting Woodland Heights to the Commercial Street business district.
Another interesting aspect of Woodland Heights history was the location of the Frisco Hospital on Atlantic between Broadway and Missouri Avenues. The hospital served as emergency and care facilities for Frisco employees and was first operated by the Sisters of Charity in 1901 and later from 1904 to 1922, by the Sisters of Mercy.
Woodland Heights was home to a number of merchants, railroad employees and business professionals. One of the early residences in the neighborhood was built by a Springfield attorney Azariah W. Lincoln and his wife, Jennie Margaret Adams, both descendants of former US Presidents. Mrs Lincoln is credited with founding the Northside Boys Club. Their stately Queen Anne Victorian home was constructed in 1887 and stands today at 2006 N. Douglas as a reminder of a grand era.
Gallery
from a 1902 Sanborn Map of Springfield
Video
How the Frisco Railroad Built Springfield, MO
Birth of Route 66
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