The Oakdale Neighborhood is located in the north end of downtown Raleigh in the Mordecai Community. The neighborhood borders the Historic Oakwood neighorhood and a short walk to the Person Street business district.

• Home Types: Single family homes
• Majority of Bungalows
• Age: 1920s and into the 1930s & 1940s.

Like Oakwood to the south, Oakdale was part of the area first known as Mordecai Grove, a plantation owned by the prominent Mordecai family; in 1877, the Mordecais began selling off their property.

Oakdale was the first development platted within the Mordecai Community. Platted means the streets were laid out and the lots were created. The plat map of Oakdale is dated 1891. But most of the houses weren’t built until the 1920s and into the 1930s & 1940s. Franklin, Holden and Sasser were called Oakdale, Holt & Porter, and Watauga was called N. Swain St.

According to Karl Larson, a longtime Oakdale resident and local historian who publishes the blog Goodnight Raleigh, Oakdale evolved over three different periods of construction. A handful of homes were built from the 1890s through the 1910s; most of the bungalows were built during a construction boom in the 1920s; and a third wave of building happened after World War II. Many of these homes were cottages, one-story, single-family, few much bigger than 1,500 square feet.

Presently, in October the neighborhood blocks off a portion of Holden street to celebrate Holdenween, a neighborhood block party.

Neighborhood Project

In 2023, several bungalows along Holden, Sasser, and Franklin Street will be turning 100 years old. To celebrate this historic milestone, please join your neighbors in purchasing a custom wooden home plaque. Show your civic pride for Oakdale, celebrate our unique historical and modern character. 

1. Visit the Wake County Real Estate website to verify the year your home was built. 
2. Order your sign through Seagate, a mother-daughter business that began 'officially' in 2012.
3. Communicate with Seagate you are seeking a "Oakdale" neighborhood sign via the contact page
   1. White or black background
   2. Share the year that your house was built. For example, 1923
   3. Decide on layout; "OAKDALE with oakleaf c. 19XX", or "circa 19XX"
   4. Size of sign are; 8" x 12" or ‘Circa 1795’ sign is approximately 7” x 11”.

FYI, lead time right now is roughly 6 weeks. Looking forward to seeing the signs in the neighborhood!

Schools

Conn Elementary, Daniels Middle School, Broughton High School

Online Community

• http://www.mordecaicac.org/neighborhoods
• http://www.mordecaicac.org/communication

Local Government

• City Council District D
• Mordecai Citizens Advisory Council

Features

• Does the neighborhood have sidewalks? Is it walkable? If so, what can you walk to?
• What parks are nearby?
• Strengths? What are the positive aspects to the neighborhood?

Improvements

• What are the weaknesses of the neighborhood?