As residential and commercial development began to resume after World War I, and as Raleigh’s population continued to increase, the area of the Five Points Neighborhoods was developed
through suburban growth planning. Early suburbs of Raleigh included Oakwood in the late 19th century, located to the northeast of the center city, and Boylan Heights, Glenwood and Cameron Park, platted between 1906 and 1910 to the southwest, west and northwest of the center city, respectively. The suburban neighborhoods comprising the Five Points Neighborhoods were the result of a significant planning movement that was the realization of the dream of the Progressive Reformers of Raleigh. In line with their desire for a modern, simple lifestyle that was represented in the bungalow-style home popular in the 1920s, these suburban neighborhoods were planned as an escape from the stressful urban life, with services that were the epitomy of efficiency.

Five Points is defined by it's center, the intersection of Glenwood Avenue, Fairview and Whitaker Mill.
Like University Park, Five Points is a conglomeration of the surrounding neighborhoods including Bloomsbury, Vanguard Park, Hayes Barton and Roanoke Park. However, the borders of Five Points have less definition than the borders of University Park; in fact, the extent of Five Points' penetration into surrounding neighborhoods is debatable. Today, four of the five neighborhoods have been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places.

Neighborhood Design of Five Points

Located to the northwest of central Raleigh and north of the Glenwood neighborhood , the area is loosely defined by Saint Mary’s Street to the west, by Byrd and Oxford Streets to the north, and by White Oak Road, Reaves Drive and Carson Street to the east , and by the Norfolk-Southern (formerly Norfolk and Western) railroad, present-day Wade Avenue, and historically, the park area of the Methodist Orphanage to the south.

Hayes Barton, initially considered the most desirable of the Five Points neighborhoods, was designed by landscape architect Earle Sumner Draper, who developed some of the first greenbelt buffers in the country and was also well known for his creation of mill villages. The Hayes Barton design features roads laid to the contours of the land, opening areas for small park areas, mainly in the medians. Although Draper did not design the other Five Points areas, his work was imitated there.

Architecturally, the area is a picture of the variety of architectural styles that were popular nationally between 1915 and 1950. These styles included Tudor, Spanish Colonial, Craftsmen Bungalow, Period (English) Cottage, French Eclectic/Norman Revival, American Foursquare, American Colonial, Modernist, Minimal Tradition and Ranch. Local architects (particularly in the Hayes Barton Historic District) included Thomas W. Cooper, William H. Dietrick, Charles Atwood, Arthur C. Nash and James A. Salter. A local granite quarry provided stone for much of the housing, establishing a degree of continuity within the varying architectural styles.

The simple and efficient lifestyle of yesteryear is still a reality in today's Five Points. The neighborhoods often appeal to young, first-time homeowners. The interstate is within convenient access, downtown is a quick trip by car or foot, and there is a nice block of eateries and bars.

Five Points Attractions

The Rialto Theatre
Built in 1942 and recently renovated, the Rialto is probaby the most charming theater in the Triangle. With its vintage recessed lighting and performance stage, it retains the beauty of yesteryear. The Rialto has one large theater showing foreign and independent films as well as the Rocky Horror Picture Show, every Friday at midnight. If you want a first-class movie-going experience, this is your destination. Concessions include beer and wine. The Rialto is also a popular venue for performances, weddings, private screenings, parties, and other events.
1620 Glenwood Avenue
919 856 8683
www.therialto.com

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
0.8 miles (1.4 km)
The exhibits of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences look at the natural world through the distinct lens of North Carolina's diverse geography, geology, plants and animals. By exploring our own backyards and taking a closer look at the familiar, we can better understand the world and our place in it as we learn about North Carolina's global connections. www.naturalsciences.org

Oakwood
0.9 miles (1.4 km)
www.historicoakwood.org

North Carolina Museum of History
0.9 miles (1.5 km)
Since its founding in 1902, the North Carolina Museum of History has been an exciting place to explore North Carolina history. The museum encourages visitors to discover the past; to reflect on their own lives and their place in history; and to preserve state, regional, and local history for future generations. www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

Executive Mansion
1 mile (1.6 km)
Since 1891, the Executive Mansion has served as the official residence of North Carolina's governors. Today, as when it was constructed, it serves as an architectural anchor of the Blount Street neighborhood. Its predecessor was a large brick residence built in 1814, at the south end of Fayetteville Street (today's Raleigh Memorial Auditorium stands on the site). Neglect and the damage of war led to that building's abandonment in 1865. For a quarter century afterward, the state's governors resided in private homes or hotels. Planning for the current executive residence began in the 1870s under Governor Zebulon B. Vance.

Downtown Raleigh/Morgan Street
1.1 miles (1.8 km)

Exploris
1.2 miles (1.9 km)
Exploris is a great place for visitors of all ages to explore and share the wonder of the world all around us. Through the museum, North Carolina's only 3D IMAX theatre, and the middle school, Exploris presents a wonderful array of experiences so the world feels close enough to touch. www.exploris.org

Artspace
1.3 miles (2.1 km)
Artspace promotes the visual arts by making the creative process accessible to the public. Since 1986 Artspace has provided the community with a unique environment where artists, working in a variety of media with studios open to the public, have invited the community to become part of the creative process, a visual art center where children and adults can express their creativity through enriching educational programs, and a venue for exhibitions by regional, national, and international artists. www.artspacenc.org

West Hillsborough Street
1.4 miles (2.2 km)

JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University
2.7 miles (4.4 km)
The JC Raulston Arboretum is a nationally acclaimed garden with the most diverse collection of plants
adapted for landscape use in the southeastern United States. Plants especially adapted to Piedmont
North Carolina conditions are collected and evaluated in an effort to find superior plants for use in southern landscapes.

North Carolina Museum of Art
3.3 miles (5.4 km)
The state's art collection spans more than 5,000 years, from ancient Egypt to the present. The ancient collection includes Egyptian funerary art and important examples of sculpture and vase painting from the Greek and Roman worlds. The collection of European paintings and sculpture from the Renaissance through impressionism is internationally celebrated. American art of the 18th and 19th centuries features paintings by John Singleton Copley, Thomas Cole, Winslow Homer, Thomas Eakins and William Merritt Chase. Modern art includes major works by both American and European artists. Galleries are also devoted to African, Ancient American and Oceanic Art, as well as Jewish ceremonial art. www.ncartmuseum.org

Carolina Hurricanes
4.1 miles (6.6 km)
www.carolinahurricanes.com

Five Points Restaurants

Lilly's Pizza
In 1993, three ambitious musicians opened a delivery/carryout-only pizza joint in the empty space of a former biker bar. They called their delicious creations 'Lilly's Pizza' after Benji Shelton's four-legged companion. Hungry fans couldn't get enough and began bringing lawn chairs just to sit outside with Lilly and enjoy her Damn Good Pizza! With time, chairs & tables became standard along with local art, interesting music, and a little Raleigh history.
919 833 0226
www.lillyspizza.com

The Third Place
Located at 1811 Glenwood Avenue, The Third Place is a cozy and eclectic coffeehouse. The name, The Third Place, comes from the book written by Ray Oldenburg in which he celebrates the “third places” in our lives – after home and work, these are the places where people can relax in good company on a regular basis. Enjoy coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, vegetarian fare and yummy desserts surrounded by rich red Oriental rugs, warmly hued walls and exotic glass lanterns suspended from the antique tin ceiling. A full menu, with many items made right in the shop, is available from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Weekdays from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m., and weekends, from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. www.thirdplacecoffee.com

Five Points Shoppes

Antiques At Five Points
2005 Fairview Road
919 834 4900

Gessnert Art and Antiques
2012-B Fairview Road
919 546 9133

Acquisitions, Ltd. (antiques)
2003-D Fairview Road
919 755 1110

Regency Antiques and Art
2006 Fairview Road
919 835 2646

Village Antiques
1803 Glenwood Avenue
919 833 2595

Five Points Fitness
2012 1/2 Fairview Road, Suite 6
919 832 8111

Photos of Five Points

Share your pictures of Five Points neighborhood: Email them to photos@downtownraleighnc.org