Westerwood, Greensboro NC: A Neighborhood Guide to the 1919 Streets Beside Lake Daniel Park
Westerwood started with a naming contest. In October 1919, a Greensboro newspaper ad announced the winning street names for a new development on land once known as The Cedars and Oakland Park: Crestland, Woodlawn, Hillside, and Courtland. More than a century later, those names are still on the signs. This guide covers how Westerwood grew, what the houses are like, the park on its edge, and what to check before you buy here.
Where Westerwood Is
Westerwood sits just west of downtown Greensboro, between West Market Street on the south and Battleground Avenue and East Lake Drive on the north. Lake Daniel Park runs along its western and northern edges. UNC Greensboro and Greensboro College are close by to the south and east. Neighborhood association maps and real estate listings do not always draw the lines the same way, so check a specific address if the boundary matters to you.
A Short History of Westerwood
Local developer Arthur K. Moore platted Westerwood in 1919, and building started right away, according to the city's 2007 historic architecture survey, prepared for the City of Greensboro and the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. By the summer of 1920, 23 houses were finished or under construction, O.Henry magazine reported. In 1923, Moore's company expanded Westerwood to the west and began building in neighboring West Market Terrace, which had been platted in 1914 and sat empty.
The 1920s and 1930s were Westerwood's boom years. City directories from that time list salesmen, stenographers, clerks, and small business owners on these streets. A few Queen Anne-style houses on Adams Street and Guilford Avenue are older than the subdivision.
Is Westerwood a historic district?
Not a local one. Greensboro has three local historic districts, College Hill, Fisher Park, and Dunleath, according to the city's historic preservation program. Exterior changes in those districts need a Certificate of Appropriateness. Westerwood is not one of them.
The 2007 survey rated Westerwood and West Market Terrace a high priority for future study. It said both were likely to qualify for the National Register of Historic Places, possibly as one large district with Lake Daniel, and noted a local designation study from 2002. One Westerwood house is individually listed on the National Register: the Hardin Thomas Martin House at 204 North Mendenhall Street, listed in 1985 and now known as Double Oaks.
For more on how local districts work, read Greensboro Historic Preservation Guide 2025-2026: College Hill, Fisher Park and Dunleath.
What the Houses Look Like
Most Westerwood homes date to the 1920s and 1930s. You will see Craftsman bungalows, Tudor cottages, and Colonial Revival houses, with larger Foursquares mixed in. There are also duplexes and small apartment buildings.
The 2007 survey describes the streetscape well: a mix of grid and curving streets, uniform lot sizes and setbacks, and sidewalks separated from the street by planting strips with granite curbs. Mature trees cover most blocks.
Westerwood also has a long gardening tradition. For the neighborhood's 100th year, residents opened their gardens for a public walking tour. If you are planning a garden in an older yard, my daughter Ivy writes about herbs and plants in her articles at ivyherbal.com.
Lake Daniel Park and the Greenways
Lake Daniel Park covers about 80 acres along the creek at the edge of Westerwood. The Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department lists a playground, tennis courts, a basketball court, pickleball, picnic shelters, restrooms, and a walking trail. Parking is at 410 Mimosa Drive.
The paved Lake Daniel Greenway runs 2 miles through the park, from West Friendly Avenue near Wesley Long Hospital to Mendenhall Street at East Lake Drive. From there, the Hill Street Connector links it to the Latham Park Greenway, which continues toward Moses Cone Hospital and downtown. Bikes are allowed on both.
Neighborhood Spots and Events
Westerwood Tavern at 508 Guilford Avenue is the neighborhood bar, with a pool table and an outdoor patio.
The Westerwood Neighborhood Association hosts Art and Sole, a free, self-guided walking tour of artist studios in the neighborhood that began in 2009. Check the association's site for the next date.
Buying a Home in Westerwood
Old house homework
A house built in the 1920s deserves a careful inspection. Ask your inspector about the electrical panel and wiring, the age of the roof and plumbing, and any sign of an old heating oil tank. If one turns up, read What to Do When You Find an Underground Fuel Tank in North Carolina. The inspectors and environmental companies I work with are on my preferred vendors page, and you can contact them directly.
Because Westerwood is not a local historic district, exterior changes do not go through the Historic Preservation Commission. Zoning, building permits, and any deed restrictions still apply. Deed Restrictions vs. HOA Restrictions in North Carolina explains the difference. At closing, The Justice Law Group on Battleground Avenue is one of the closing attorney offices I work with.
Prices, safety, and schools
I do not publish neighborhood price averages here. A two-bedroom bungalow and a large Foursquare on the next block can sell for very different amounts, and the numbers move every month. If you are buying or selling, ask me for a current comparative market analysis, a price study built from recent nearby sales, on the homes you are considering.
When buyers ask whether a neighborhood is safe, I share CrimeMapping.com and suggest walking the streets at different times of day. I live on West Wendover Avenue, so my sense of traffic and noise may differ from yours.
Check school assignments for any address with the Guilford County Schools School Assignment Locator. Boundaries change, and the district has new ones for 2026-27.
Thinking about renting part of a property short term? Greensboro requires a city zoning permit, and its 750-foot spacing rule between short-term rentals ended in February 2025. How to Build an ADU in Greensboro NC covers the permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Westerwood in Greensboro?
Just west of downtown, between West Market Street and Battleground Avenue, with Lake Daniel Park along its western and northern edges.
When was Westerwood built?
Arthur K. Moore platted it in 1919. Most homes were built in the 1920s and 1930s.
Is Westerwood a historic district?
No. Greensboro's three local historic districts are College Hill, Fisher Park, and Dunleath. A 2007 city survey said Westerwood was likely eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
What park is in Westerwood?
Lake Daniel Park, about 80 acres with a playground, courts, picnic shelters, and the 2-mile Lake Daniel Greenway.
If a Westerwood bungalow has caught your eye, call or text me at (928) 699-8883 and we can walk the block together.
Keep reading: Fisher Park, Greensboro NC: Inside the Neighborhood That Started It All
Keep reading: Idlewood, Greensboro NC: A Neighborhood Guide to MidTown's Most Underrated Streets
More local guides: the Joy Watson Real Estate blog
Joy Watson Real Estate is an independent, non-corporate brokerage in Greensboro, NC. Joy Watson is a licensed North Carolina real estate broker (Broker-in-Charge). Questions about buying, selling, or renting in the Triad? Reach out through JoyWatsonRealEstate.com.
