Jackson Ward Neighborhood Guide

Jackson Ward carries more American history per block than most neighborhoods carry per zip code, built on a legacy as the birthplace of Black Wall Street, the home of banking pioneer Maggie Walker, and a jazz and entertainment hub so vital it earned the name 'Harlem of the South.' Defined roughly by Belvidere Street to the west, Broad Street to the south, and I-95 to the north and east, the neighborhood is dense with Victorian rowhouses and original cast iron porches that have survived long enough to become landmarks in their own right. The Hippodrome Theater still anchors the cultural life of the area, and the soul food, bars, and street-level energy make clear that this is a living neighborhood rather than a preserved one. People who settle here tend to take the history personally, in the best way, and the Heritage Trail walks that draw visitors are a fair sign that what Jackson Ward holds is considered worth the trip.