Chelsea Heights & Westchester Hills (Decatur) - History

History

The Chelsea Land Company began platting Chelsea Heights as early as 1912, but the area west of the railroad tracks (in unincorporated DeKalb County) was not platted until 1914. Construction of the first streets and residences began in the 1920s, but most of the residences were constructed in the 1940s and 1950s – after the Great Depression. The variety of residential architectural styles in Chelsea Heights are partially due to the pre/post World War II construction periods. The oldest house in the neighborhood is a much-renovated American Small house that was built in 1935 and is located at 259 Chelsea Drive. The neighborhood has retained its historic character. Only five houses were constructed in the neighborhood between the 1960s and the present, and most of the renovations to historic houses have been compatible with the predominant historic styles of the neighborhood. Westchester Hills, on the other hand, primarily consists of single-family homes primarily built in the first half of the 1950s. Both neighborhoods have seen "tear downs" in the last 10–15 years, with the modest homes being replaced by upscale homes.