| Upper Ninth Street |
| W. Main St./Erwin Square |
| Broad Street |
| Ninth Street Shopping District |
| Edith, Virgie, and Carolina |
| Rosehill Ave |
| Hale Street |
| Knox, Green, Alabama |
| Oakland, Lawndale
| Trent Dr., Rutherford, Warner, Bolton and 15th Streets |
| Iredell Street |
| Hillsborough Road |
| West Pettigrew St. |
| Gin St. and Dezern Pl. |
| Sights Near OWD |
Snapshots of Old West Durham
This is a growing archive of shots
submitted by residents of the neighborhood. Visit it often!
These are homes on Knox, Green, and Alabama avenues.
For many years, this little-modified structure at Knox and Carolina was Smith's Grocery (run by Ed Smith who lived on Alabama). For a while Mrs. Flowers took over and changed the name to Flowers Grocery. Long ago, children bought candy here on the way home from school. Today, those children (now with gray hair) go by the private residence and are delighted to see how little it's changed.
Dewey and Nettie Carden (ca. 1951--standing in front of a 1951 Ford
CrestLiner, two-door hardtop). Dewey was a doffer at Erwin Mills while
Nettie worked in the spinning room. The Cardens raised six children
on Mill Hill: Buddy, Dorothy, Anne, and Linda worked in the mills while
William and Lois did not (Lois chose to work at the Blue Light). OWD
friend, Lois Carden Bennett Ramsey was born in 1935 on Edith Street
behind Miss Mays' boarding house. When she was about eight, the family
moved to West Knox. Today, Lois writes from Florida how much she loved
living in West Durham. (Photo courtesy of Lois Ramsey)
Old neighborhood grocery store
A side view of the same building, now remodeled.
The store sign
was retained. (corner of Knox and Alabama).
.
Sears & Roebuck bungalow on Alabama.
 |
Floor plans for bungalow shown at left. Lumber, doors, roofing materials, fixtures, and blueprints were ordered from a Sears catalogue and sent by rail to West Durham where local carpenters were hired to build each home. (source: 1926 Sears catalogue). |
Before & After: Old kitchen sees new life on Alabama Avenue.
An house in an atypical style for the neighborhood. (Alabama,
between Oakland and Knox).
Green Street in 1937: Mary Vallie and Peggy Elliott standing next to their new house at 2501 B Street (Green St today). The sisters attended nearby EK Powe. A year after moving in, their mother was recognized by Erwin Auditorium with the "Most Improved Yard" award. The yard had flowers, shrubbery, and a goldfish pond made of three barrel halves sunk in the ground and an extensive garden out back. Their father had someone plow the garden and put up the posts and wires for the beans. In the background of the picture is a Chinaberry tree that became Peggy's favorite "hangout." Tent revivals were often held in the vacant lot across the street.
Half a decade later, Peggy Elliot is seen holding the family's yellow Persian cat, Butch. A white frame house now stands where the tent revivals were held.
"Cool folks living in funky old houses."
If anyone else has pictures of other OWD homes or landmarks, email me and either attach the scans, or arrange to drop off the pictures to me and I'll scan them and put them on the site.
Thanks,
Tom Clark, webmaster