Old West Durham Neighborhood Association








| 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.

    A side view of a home that was a neighborhood grocery store and remodeled (below). The store sign was retained. (corner of Knox and Alabama).


    Sears & Roebuck bungalow on Alabama. Sadie Agner lived in this house for many years. Sadie wrote the original recipe here for the Brunswick stew sold at nearby Bullock's Barbecue. . In the late 1970s, Duke grad students called this area near Alabama and Englewood, "Bamawood."

    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 the scans to me or drop off the pictures to me and I'll scan them and put them on the site.

    Thanks,
    Pam Spaulding, webmaster