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Arcadia comprises three distinct development periods; the Heckel family and Eutaw Heights, Post WWI development of Arcadia, and Post WWII Eastwood Drive and infill development. Though, these periods differ significantly in house type and design, they make up a cohesive neighborhood.
The first era of development was between 1898-1914 and center around the Heckel Family on Heckel Avenue. Between the late 1880’s and mid 1890’s Gottleib Heckel, a cobbler on Gay Street moved his family into a log cabin located near today’s Parkside and Prior Avenues. Shortly thereafter, they bought 19 acres of the eastern portion of Eutaw Farm tract. Here the family worked on a farm and other odd jobs. Gottleib Heckel started building Eutaw Avenue (which became Parkside Drive) from Belair Road to the farm around 1895. In 1902 he laid out and built Heckel Avenue as his driveway.
By 1898, the Hall’s estate and gristmill were abandoned. In 1902 the Heckel’s sold two lots to Dr. Giering and built for him the fieldstone house on the north side of Parkside Drive. The driveway to the Giering’s stone house became Harris Street. Between 1898 and 1914, 49 single and duplex homes were built. By 1914 much of "Eutaw Heights" was constructed. Later development consisted of row houses built off Belair Road, which followed the 1923 Zoning Act. "Eierman Avenue" and built the daylight housing that exists today. Other row house development occurred on Parkside Road one half block from Belair. They were built in the Tudor Style housing.
Arcadia was officially created on 3/28/191.
"Another new development in the northeastern section will be the result of a recent purchase by R. Stanley Carswell, who has brought a tract of 41 acres binding on the north side of the property acquired by the city for a park between the Harford and Belair Roads, including all of the Herring Run Valley
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The tract is located so as to overlook all of this park, Lake Montebello and a large portion of the city and surrounding country. It is covered with a fine growth of original timber. Which will be thinned out to give the best effect and the streets will be laid as to enhance the natural beauty of the location.
The work of clearing, grading and improving the streets, laying of drain and sewer pipes and cement sidewalks will be pushed this summer, and the tract should be ready for development in the early fall and will be improved by high class cottages, for which purpose the location on a direct car line with a running time of 25 minutes to the City Hall and a five cent fare adapts it."
The Arcadia Improvement Association formed in 1923 in order to address the many issues that plagued the growing Suburbs. By 1923 the area looked different than the bucolic scene painted by Heckel’s words. The importance of the improvement association to deal with basic infrastructure problems was essential. With the collective voice, according to the 1938 history, the Arcadia Improvement Association advocated for the following physical improvements:
• Planted trees along sidewalks
• Advocated for property owners to hook up their sewer lines to the main line
• Removed Trolley Poles
• Donated Harford Terrace slope to park board
• Beautified Herring Run Park
• Advocated for the opening of Walther Avenue
• Advocated for safety traffic lights, streetlights, and sidewalks across vacant lots
In addition to physical infrastructures, Arcadia jumped in the zoning battle in regards to row houses planned for Eastwood Drive. Here, the developer attempted to rezone Eastwood Drive for row houses. After several court battles and countless zoning hearings, the neighborhood improvement association helped to uphold the zoning of Eastwood Drive, which required at least one side yard. In addition, the neighborhood fought against dance halls and saloons. However, they did not mind corner stores and they held their first anniversary in the banquet/store room at 3201 Berkshire Road. 3109 was, too, a store and beauty salon.
Finally, after 1940 the housing in and around Eastwood Avenue was developed. Here they were developed in a stripped down version of Colonial Revival, a style that received much favor after the efforts on Williamsburg. They were built as red brick duplexes to overlook Herring Run Park. Arcadia’s housing was the epitome of 1920s suburban housing. Each street is full of dozens of designs, shapes and styles of middle class housing.
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