Originally a community that housed blue-collar mill workers in the early 1800s, the Woodberry neighborhood has developed into an eclectic area with diverse housing styles while still retaining most of its original charm.
"It's as if rural America was dropped right in the middle of the city," says Dr. Claudia Brown, a former school principal, 34-year Woodberry resident and member of the Park Hill/Edgegreen Community Association. "The residents used to be more blue-collar, but now it's a more cosmopolitan area with residents coming from remarkably different backgrounds."
One reason for the change, according to Tracey Brown, vice president of the Concerned Citizens of Woodberry, was the redevelopment of Clipper Mill, which initiated a rapid change in the neighborhood's housing prices.
"Woodberry was a very insular community," says Brown, "but the redevelopment of Clipper Mill has brought a lot of attention to the area, making home prices rise."
Housing Stock With five different enclaves in greater Woodberry, housing options and prices differ, depending on the location. Throughout the neighborhood, a variety of styles can be found, from rustic stone houses and wooded cottages to rowhouses and loft condominiums.
According to Christine Thomas of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Roland Park, it's possible to find a house in Woodberry that's priced anywhere from $200,000 to $500,000 or more.
Brick Hill, located on the southeast end of the neighborhood overlooking Meadow Mill and backing up against Druid Hill Park, is on the National Historic Register and has more than a dozen duplex homes that date to the late 19th century.
Park Hill/Edgegreen, in the southwest corner of the neighborhood, is largely composed of bungalow houses that were built in the 1930s and 1940s.
In the northwest corner of the neighborhood, the Greenspring Trails enclave comprises eight single-family homes. Built in the 1940s and 1950s, the houses are surrounded by plentiful woods and open space.
Clipper Mill, the most recently developed area of Woodberry, is made up of a variety of buildings that contain small business offices, condominiums and loft-style apartments. There is also an area containing attached, three-story, three-bedroom townhomes and a new development of detached "green" duplexes.
