[3][4] The neighborhood began a slow decline in the early 1910s as architectural tastes changed and families built homes further north in Indianapolis.

In 1937, the Homeowner Loan Corporation (HOLC) classified 73 Indianapolis neighborhoods into four categories based on perceived investment risk.

[5] In the late 1960s, residents began restoring remaining buildings of architectural significance, and petitioned the city for historic recognition.

Disagreement arose between those seeking National Register designation and lower-income residents of the Old Northside, who were represented by the Citizens Neighborhood Coalition and feared displacement from their homes.

[9] The President Benjamin Harrison Home and the Morris-Butler House, both on the National Register of Historic Places, are located in Old Northside and are open to the public for tours and special events.

The Frank and Judy O'Bannon Soccer Park was created by the city of Indianapolis on the east edge of the neighborhood, with the help of Old Northside Foundation.