DePauw Avenue Conservation District DePauw Avenue was developed as an upper-middle class neighborhood in the early 20th century as New Albany entered a period of growth and expansion. The district was largely developed during the 1920s on the site of the former summer home of businessman and philanthropist Washington C. DePauw - destroyed in a devastating 1917 tornado - although DePauw's heirs began to develop some of the property as early as 1906.
The district is entirely residential and includes many of the distinctive architectural styles of the early 20th century, including Craftsman, Colonial Revival, American Foursquare and Tudor Revival. The homes in the district retain a high degree of architectural integrity and there are only a handful of newer buildings amid the historic homes.
The DePauw Avenue Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 due to its architectural significance. In February 2026 the New Albany City Council created the DePauw Avenue Conservation District, allowing demolition, new construction and moving of buildings within the neighborhood to be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission. The conservation district includes the area in the National Register district, as well as a vacant parcel located at the northeast end of the street, south of St. Mary's Cemetery.
History based on the National Register of Historic Places nomination, completed by Teresa Douglass, Thomason and Associates. Individual house histories researched by Floyd County Historian Dave Barksdale. Additional information from These Are the Good Old Days (2013), Raymond Day & David Barksdale.
