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East Durham's neighborhoods
represent an important piece of Durham's history, largely focused
on the historic mill industries that fueled the local economy
through the first half of the 20th century.
These historic in-town neighborhoods
have grown especially attractive to homebuyers and business owners as
local real estate prices escalate and traffic tie-ups hamper
daily commutes. East Durham's proximity to the $300 million American
Tobacco live-work-play development, the Durham Performing Arts Center, Research Triangle Park, higher education campuses and other amenities add to the area's appeal. Revitalization of the neighborhood will
bring additional improvements, including a proposed commuter rail station
at Alston Avenue.
But the real key to East Durham's
success — now and in the future — is the presence of committed neighbors
and homeowners, new and old.
To ensure that these historic
residential areas remain intact, Preservation North Carolina and Preservation
Durham are helping buyers and sellers preserve and rehabilitate
a wealth of turn-of-the-century residences.
History
The growth of East Durham began
with the construction of the Durham Cotton Manufacturing Company in
the 1890s along Pettigrew Street. Soon to follow were the Durham Bobbin
and Shuttle Mill, Golden Belt Manufacturing Company, Durham Hosiery
Mill, Durham Fertilizer Company, and the Chatham and W.C. Carrington
Lumber Companies. In 1902, a trolley line was extended into the residential
areas along Angier Avenue and Holloway Street as far as Driver Street.
The Durham Ballfield, constructed at the 400 block of Driver Street,
encouraged trolley ridership and offered an exciting new setting for
the playoffs between rival teams from local mills.
While East Durham's first
heyday ended with the Great Depression and the closure of several local
mills, including the Durham Cotton Manufacturing Company, the region's
economic diversity
ultimately led to new jobs for many displaced mill hands at the booming
tobacco factories.
Architecture
The original textile mill workers,
along with tradesmen and merchants, were the first to buy land and build
houses in the East Durham area. The earliest houses — built between
1880 and 1900 — were Queen Anne and her more modest cousin, the Folk
Victorian. The years between 1905 and 1930 saw a boom in Craftsman-style
houses, including bungalows, cottages and Foursquares. As time
went by, Tudor-style houses and postwar cottages dominated new construction.
Following WWII, changes in the dynamics of the neighborhood led to a
switch from predominately owner-occupied housing to rental properties.
Though most of the historic houses are still standing, many are in need
of renovation.
Available for Restoration
East Durham still contains
many original Victorian, Craftsman and other stylish turn-of-the-century
homes.
Houses in the East Durham National
Register Historic District offer enterprising homebuyers a chance to
purchase and live in well-crafted, historic houses at affordable prices,
with the added benefit of state and federal tax credits that range from
30% to 40% of rehabilitation costs.
With Triangle traffic on the
increase and median home values in Durham exceeding $175,000 (from National Association
of Realtors, Median Sales Price of Existing Single-Family Homes for
Metropolitan Areas), East
Durham's easy access to downtown, the Research Triangle Park, and
other amenities of the region promise to make it a great investment
opportunity for homebuyers for years to come.
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The East Durham
National Register Historic District is an early-20th-century neighborhood
just a few blocks east of Downtown Durham, a vibrant destination for
jobs, shopping and nightlife. The district is also convenient to Duke
University, North Carolina Central University, Research Triangle Park
and other amenities of the Triangle region.
