History of Grier Heights

History of Grier Heights. . Called “The Quarter” by its long-time residents, Grier Heights is a neighborhood of friendly and talented people. At the turn of the century almost everybody owned their home. The men were artisans and craftsmen – brickmasons, carpenters, mechanics. They took pride in their work and their community. Many of the women worked as domestics in the big houses of nearby neighborhoods like Eastover and Myers Park. People looked out for one another and cared for one another. , The intersection of Skyland Ave., Drenan St. and Leroy St. was known as “The Block.” This was the religious, commercial, and social center of Grier Heights. There was a general store here, a café, a grocery store, and a meeting hall. Just down Leroy Street was the Billingsville Rosenwald School, built in 1927. Local neighborhood leaders like A.S. Grier and Edward Wallace, Sr. were determined that Grier Heights would have its own, brick schoolhouse. , Grier Heights was and is a wonderful place to rear a family. Boys used to play baseball, football, pitch horseshoes, or go down to Briar Creek to swim in the Big Boys' Hole along with the Eastover kids. Girls would jump rope, play hopscotch, or play with their baby dolls. People in Grier Heights were “independent-minded, creative, and empowered.”