West North Shore
Local Historic District, 1978
Designated by ordinance in 1978, the West North Shore Historic District, directly adjacent to the Saint Joseph River, was first settled by Native Americans. In 1820, South Bend pioneer Pierre Navarre chose this site for his trading post. The first residence was constructed in 1888 for Samuel Leeper, Jr., who discovered clay deposits in the area and built a brickyard, making bricks to pave West Jefferson Street.
The Home Improvement Company purchased the land in 1903, filing a plat and naming the area Navarre Place Addition. The subdivision was a fashionable address for the middle-class, comfortably away from the older, crowded sections of the city, yet easily within reach of downtown via streetcar.
West North Shore Historic District is a mix of nineteenth and twentieth century architecture, ranging from Italian Renaissance to mid-century Ranch. Two Sears & Roebuck catalog homes, the "Magnolia" and the "Alhambra," add to the unique variety of styles.