Hill's Durham (Durham County, N.C.) City Directory [1955], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1955
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 1346

USA > North Carolina > Durham County > Durham > Hill's Durham (Durham County, N.C.) City Directory [1955] > Part 2

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Hospitals-6, with total of 1, 637 beds. The 500 bed general medical Vet- erans Administration Hospital opened in 1953.

Education-Duke University, Croft Secretarial School, Kennedy's Commer- cial School, and North Carolina College for Negroes. 22 public schools, in- cluding 2 senior high and 3 junior high. 1 parochial school and 3 private schools. Number of pupils in public schools (1953-54) 11, 012; in parochial, 180. Number of teachers in public schools, 462; in parochial, 5. Value of public school prop- erty, $7, 204, 845. 10; parochial, $175, 000. 00; college, $44, 098, 503. 72.

Public Libraries-5. Duke University libraries have over one million volumes.

City Statistics-Total street mileage, 211. 48, with 118. 9 miles paved. Miles of gas mains, 217. 6, sewers, 333.5. Number of water meters, 18, 232; light meters, 44, 749; gas meters, 4, 460. Capacity of water works (municipal), 15, - 000, 000 gallons; daily average pumpage, 8, 500, 000 gallons; miles of mains, 249. 2; value of plant, $4, 800, 000. Fire department has 106 men, with 4 sta- tions and 17 pieces of motor equipment. Value of fire department motor equip- ment, $200, 500. Police department has 104 men and 30 women, with 1 sta- tion and 28 pieces of motor equipment, all cars being equipped with two-way radio facilities.

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INTRODUCTION

Duke University Stadium; Seating Capacity, 41, 000 (with Temporary Stands Now Seats 56, 500); Scene of Rose Bowl Football Game, Jan. 1, 1942

55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55 55

Part of the Main Quadrangle, Duke University, West Campus

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INTRODUCTION

HISTORY

In April, 1865, at a log cabin known as the Bennett I lacc, near Durham Sta- tion, there occured one of the most historic events in the history of the nation. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox, and the future looked dark indeed for the Southern states. Jefferson Davis and his cabinet had escaped to Greensboro, North Carolina, and there had held fiery debate as to the advisability of con- tinuing the Civil War. Some members of the cabinet favored continuing hos- tilities at any cost, even though it meant carrying on a guerilla warfare, while others took the position that the cause of the Confederacy was forever lost and that no good could be accomplished by further bloodshed. Finally it was decided to instruct General Joseph E. Johnson, commander of the Confederate Armies of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, to negotiate terms of peace with General Wm. Tecumseh Sherman, commander of the Federal Armythat had broken the backbone of the Confederacy by reason of its famous march to the sea. These two generals met at the Bennett Place and signed a tentative peace agreement. This agreement was so favorable to the South that General Grant refused to approve it, but after several days' conference, it was amended to meet General Grant's demands and was signed and approved by the governments of the North and South, and the War between the States came to a close.

Marking the place of surrender, just four miles from Durham, there has been erected, through the generosity of Mrs. S. T. Morgan, a beautiful monu- ment consisting of two columns, one representing the North and the other the South, joined together by a crosspiece on which is the word "Unity. " This his- toric spot, the birthplace of reunited nation, is visited each year by thousands of people.

The death of the Confederacy gave birth to the city of Durham, and out of the ashes of the hopes of the Southern people has been built a great and beautiful city. In 1865 Durham Station was a small and insignificant point on the North Carolina Railroad, inhabited by less than 100 persons. There was one lone busi- ness enterprise here, a crude and unimportant tobacco factory with total assets of less than $2, 000, including not only products on hand, but representing also the entire investment and replacement. History and tradition unite in saying that this factory was broken into by Sherman's soldiers and a large part of the stock carried away. Tradition further says that the product carried away was so well made and of such quality that when the soldiers returned to the pursuit of civil life, letters came back to Durham toascertain if there was more of the product upon the market. To supply this demand a broken business was rebuilt.

In 1865 Washington Duke, a Confederate soldier, walked from New Bern to his home in Durham, and with the same stout heart that had carried him through the vicissitudes of a lost cause, turned his attention to the battle for bread, which was doubtless as cruel and bitter as the war from which he had returned. He built the second factory in Durham, composed of a log cabin 20 x 30 feet, and with his own hands manufactured a product out of a small supply of tobacco that the Federal soldiers had not found. This he called Pro Bono Publico. The annual output of this factory was originally four or five hundred pounds, and in 1872 had grown to 125, 000 pounds.

In the meantime, W. T. Blackwell had moved to Durham to engage in the tobacco business. He was to the early development of the tobacco industry in Durham what Napoleon was to France, or Caesar to Rome. The Durham Bull got upon the map and in a few brief years his sonorous voice, like the shot at Lexington, was heard around the world. In 1872 the two small tobacco factories had grown into twelve.

James Buchanan Duke, becoming convinced that it was neither practicable nor profitable to compete with Bull Durham smoking tobacco, turned the vision of his great genius into the cigarette field, and from that day to the present hour the increasing volume of the tobacco industry has become the comnion property of mankind.

On April 10, 1869, almost exactly four years after Johnston surrendered to Sherman, Durham was born. There were only 258 inhabitants in the village, and the total municipal revenue was $357. 44. The largest taxpayer paid $40. 62 in taxes. In 1870 there were probably less than 100 wage-earners in industrial pursuits in the town.

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INTRODUCTION

Duke Hospital (for the Public) and Duke Medical School, Situated on the West Campus

Airplane View Showing East Campus, Duke University, and Part of City of Durham

View of Hope Valley Country Club

INTRODUCTION

The tobacco industry grew at a very rapid rate, using large quantities of bright-leaf tobacco. While much of this type of tobacco was grown around Dur- ham, it was sold at tobacco markets in Richmond and other Virginia cities, and local manufacturers had to pay the cost of transporting the tobacco from Vir- ginia to Durham. This condition made desirable the opening of warehouses for the sale of leaf tobacco in Durham, and resulted in this city becoming one of the largest bright-leaf tobacco markets in the world, now selling from 40 to 57 million pounds each season.

During all this time there were no banks in the town, practically all the banking being transacted in Raleigh, and on days of big sales at the tobacco warehouses it was necessary to obtain cash from the merchants in order to pay the farmer for his product. Such inconveniences could not long continue, and soon two banks were established.

The next step in the industrial and commercial history of the town was the bringing in of additional railway lines. By the cooperation of manufacturers, merchants, and the city and county governments, the Seaboard Air Line Rail- way, the Southern Railway, and the Norfolk & Western Railway were given access to this market. Later the Norfolk Southern Railroad and the Durham & Southern Railway were added to the railway lines serving the city, giving a total of five railway companies with five lines radiating in every direction.

Durham had now grown into a very prosperous and thriving community, but its citizenship was not satisfied with having purely a commercial and industrial town. The people felt the need of better schools and, in 1885, after aheated political campaign, bonds were voted for public school buildings and a tax levied for maintaining a public school system. Today Durham has one of the finest public school plants of any city of its size, with physical property valued at $7, 204, 845. 10, and with a personnel of teachers and management that gives it first rating among the cities of North Carolina.

In 1892, Trinity College, now Duke University, was brought to Durham through the philanthropy of Mr. Washington Duke and General Julian S. Carr. Today Duke University has a physical plant worth $44, 098, 503. 72, 4, 839 stu- dents, and a 600-bed hospital, and ranks among the leading educational insti- tutions of the nation.

As the tobacco industry grew and prospered, certain persons used some of their dividends in establishing cotton mills, and this industry soon assumed a position of importance in the industrial life of the city. Later hosiery mills were established, until today Durham ranks as the first city of the South in the manufacture of full-fashioned hosiery. Other industries were added from time to time, including flour mills, fertilizer plants, iron works, woodworking plants, printing establishments, etc., until now there are engaged in industry over 19, 000 wage-earners, producing $200, 000, 000 worth of manufactured products annually. These industries pay into the Federal treasury approximately $70, - 000, 000 each year. Durham today produces 19% of all the cigarettes made in the U. S.

In 1914 a program of civic improvement was undertaken, and although it was interrupted by the first World War, it has now reached the point where Durham has all the conveniences of a modern city, including complete sewerage, asphalt streets, paved sidewalks, electric power, gas, the latest dial telephone service. Western Union telegraph service, American Telephone & Telegraph repeater station, insuring rapid long-distance telephone communication; a fine recreation program, and a system of water works with an impounding reservoir sufficient to care for the needs of a city of 100, 000 people.

Any story about Durham would be incomplete without mention of the notable contribution which the Negro race has made to the industrial, commercial and civic development of the community. The progress the race has made here has been truly amazing. Under the leadership of E. R. Merrick, and later, C. C. Spaulding, and their associates, Durham's colored people have established in- dustries, insurance companies, banks and other commercial businesses which would be creditable to any city. The labor which they furnish the city's indus- trial plants is intelligent and dependable. The high type of leaders among the colored people here has made Durham a conspicuous outpost in the advancement of Negro civilization.

PAINTING

XVI

INTRODUCTION

One of the finest things about the founders of Durham is that material pros- perity merely opened to them avenues of service to mankind. It has been said that more philanthropists have been produced in Durham than in any other city of the South. Watts Hospital, of 302 beds, was a gift to the city and county by Mr. George W. Watts. Lincoln Hospital, of 150 beds, is largely the gift of Mr. Benjamin N. Duke. Duke University is a living memorial to Mr. Washington Duke and his two sons, Benjamin N. Duke and James Buchanan Duke. Other philanthropists have remembered the city from time to time in ways that help in making Durham a good place in which to live and work.

Durham is today the fourth city in North Carolina in point of population, having 71, 311 inhabitants, and is second in industrial payrolls, and second in importance in the value of its manufactured products. It is far in the lead in its educational facilities, having an unexcelled public school system and Duke University within its corporate limits, and having within a radius of a few miles the University of North Carolina, Wake Forest College, Meredith College, North Carolina State College, Peace Institute and St. Mary's.

The colored people have in Durham, in addition to excellent public schools for their race, the North Carolina College for Negroes, the only college of liberal arts for Negroes supported by taxation in the state.

All these things have been accomplished by people not especially favored by nature, but who by their determination, unconquerable will and tireless effort, and by their faith in mankind and in this community, have created a city that proudly takes its position as one of the representative cities of the new South and of America.

Graduate Dormitory Tower, Duke University

INTRODUCTION

XVII

View of City Hall

View of Main Street, Looking East

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INTRODUCTION

BRIEF FACTS ABOUT DURHAM, ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED

Altitude: 406 feet above sea level.

Area: 13. 3 square miles.

Automobiles: All types of vehicles in county as of Dec. 31, 1953. . . .38,561

Banks:

1953 (As of Dec. 31).

Capital, surplus and

undivided profits

$ 7,273,870. 78

Deposits

$81,517,372. 48

Total resources

$88,791, 243. 26

Industrial Banks:

1952 (As of Dec. 31)

1953

(As of Dec. 31)

Capital, surplus and undivided profits

$1,214, 494. 55

$ 875,826.10

Total resources

4,936,840. 98

5,185,639.24

Deposits

3,722,346.43

4,309,813.14

Building and Loan Associations:

Year

No.

Assets

1953

$37,277,311.81

Building Permits:

Year

No.

Value

1951

1,493

$9,287,844

1952

2,046

9,273,076

1953

1,689

7,086,659

Churches: 140, representing 20 denominations. Durham is noted for its many beautiful church edifices.

City Incorporated: The City of Durham was incorporated by act of the Gen- eral Assembly, ratified April 10, 1869.

Civic Organizations: Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, Sertoma Club, American Business Club, Civitan Club, Exchange Club, Optimist Club, Altrusa Club, Business and Professional Women's Club, Pilot Club, Durham Merchants' Association, Junior Chamber of Commerce, Durham Chamber of Commerce, National Secretaries Association.

Climate: Equable. Annual mean summer temperature, 71.3; winter, 48. 3 63% sunshine days. Annual rainfall; 47. 19 inches. Annual snowfall, 10. 1 inches. Prevailing westerly winds.

Colleges:

Duke University Enrollment

1940-41

. 3,716

1946-47 .5,121

1941-42

3,493

1947-48

.4,890

1942-43

. 4,000

1948-49 .6,882

1943-44

.5,011

1949-50

.5,211

1945-46

. 3,596

1950-51

.5,018

XIX

INTRODUCTION

Malbourne Hotel

View at One Eleven Corcoran Street, Constructed at a Cost of $1, 000, 000, in the Heart of Durham's Business District

1951-52

.4,778

1952-53

.4,776

1953-54

.4,839

There is also located in Durham the North Carolina College for Negroes, the only college of liberal arts for colored people, supported by the State, in North Carolina. Enrollment for 1953-54, 1, 471.

Convention Facilities: Four hotels with total of 627 rooms. Maximum capa- city of lodging accommodations, 1, 374 persons; capacity in excess of ordinary requirements, 700 persons. Assembly halls, capacity, 800; ballroom capacity, 500; twelve committee rooms, auditorium, seating capacity, 1, 750; Armory Auditorium seating capacity, 2, 500.

INTRODUCTION

County: Durham County was created by act of the General Assembly in 1881 from parts of Orange and Wake counties. While Durham is not a large county, it is the center of the famous bright-leaf tobacco belt. Between 40 and 57 million pounds of tobacco are sold each year on the Durham market. Tobacco is the principal money crop, although cotton, corn and truck crops also are important. Dairying has increased rapidly during the past few years. The county has good roads and splendid schools and churches. According to the 1950 U. S. Census there were 1, 910 farms in the county.

Education: Durham is recognized as being one of the leading educational cen- ters of the South. Its colleges and university, its public school system, its schools of music and business schools are rated among the best in the South by leading educators. (See Colleges, also Schools).

Fire Protection: Durham has a well-equipped fire department, with four stations and paid personnel giving Durham first-class insurance rating.

Durham Public Library

DURHAM

COURS

HOUSE

Durham County Court House

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INTRODUCTION

Government: Durham has had the council-manager form of government since May 4, 1921. It is admitted to be one of the best-governed cities in the state.

Health: Durham has a well-organized board of health, with 72 employees, charged with the supervision of health conditions in the entire county. It has been remarkably successful in its work. The white resident death rate for 1953 was 6. 9 (colored residences, 7.9) to the 1,000. The death rate for both races was 7.3. The birth rate for white was 24.3; for colored, 24. 3; total, 24. 3. Milk, meats, water, markets, dairies, hotels and eating places are carefully inspected.

Hospitals: Watts Hospital (public, white) is one of the finest hospitals in the South, value, $4, 733, 295; 302 beds; personnel of 70 physicians and 108 nurses; endowed by Mr. George W. Watts and partly supported by contributions from city and county. Lincoln Hospital (public, colored); value, $1, 103, 840; 150 beds; personnel of 7 resident and 90 practicing physicians, and 25 graduate and 55 student nurses; partly supported by contributions from city and county. Mc- Pherson Hospital (private-eye, ear, nose and throat); value $120, 000; 45 beds and personnel of seven physicians and 16 nurses. Duke Hospital with 600 beds, representing an investment of more than $3, 000, 000 is said to be the best- equipped hospital in the world. It was opened on July 21, 1930. During 1932 the Duke Hospital Nurses' Home was completed at a cost of over $300,000. Two other nurses' homes have been added. The North Carolina Cerebral Hospital (palsy), with 40 beds, is now in operation. The State has taken over the 3, 300- bed Army hospital at Camp Butner, and this is now a mental institution. Re- cently completed is the 500-bed U. S. Veterans medical and surgical hospital here. Durham is the chief medical center south of Baltimore.

Hotels: Durham is unusually well provided with hotel facilities. The Wash- ington Duke is one of the finest hotels in the South, having been constructed at a cost of more than $1, 750, 000. It has 300 bedrooms, all with bath. The Mal- bourne Hotel-200-room capacity-is a fireproof hotel and newly furnished throughout. Other hotels are the Durham and McArthur, and the Biltmore and Jones hotels for colored people.

Industries: Durham is the second largest industrial center in North Carolina, its output of manufactured products being valued at $200, 000, 000 annually (U.S. Census of Manufactures). It has large tobacco industries, manufacturing such well-known brands as Duke's Mixture and Bull Durham smoking tobaccos, and a great many brands of cigarettes. It is the home of the Durham Hosiery Mills (manufacturers of hosiery and synthetic yarns), Hillcrest Hosiery Mill (manu- facturers of ladies' full-fashioned hose), and the Golden Belt Mfg. Co. (manu- facturers of cloth bags). There are also manufactured in Durham, Erwin and White-Star sheetings and pillow cases; Virginia-Carolina fertilizers; Occonee- chee, Peerless and Climax flours; blank books,-corrugated boxes, wooden boxes, castings and iron products, harness and saddles, bread, ice, mattresses, brick, building materials, proprietary medicines, furniture, roofing, meat-packing products, machinery, and moth and mildew-proofing formulae. Due to proximity to source of raw materials, natural gas, cheap electric power and its trans- portation facilities, Durham offers unexcelled opportunities for the location of industries.

Location: Durham is situated in the geographical center of North Carolina, a few miles north of the center of population of. the state. Its terrain is slightly rolling and is well drained.

Payrolls: The payrolls of Durham exceed $90, 000, 000 annually.

Population (U. S. Census):

City of Durham

County of Durham

1890 5,485

1890. 18,041

1900

6,679

1900. 26,233

1910

.18,241

1910. 35,276

1920 .21,719

1920. 42,219

1930 .52,037

1930_ 67,196

1940

.60,195

1940. 80,244

1950

.71,311

1950.

.101,639

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INTRODUCTION

Post-Office Receipts:

1940. . . $351,341.15

1946. . $640,006. 00

1941 . 409,266.19

1947. . 584,333.00

1942 . 420,616.08

1948. . 661,413.00

1943 . 556,117.82

1949. . 751,039. 00

1944.

671,732.49

1950. . 777,205. 00

1945 .

. 612,869.19

1951. . 815,003.00

881,314. 00

1952 . 1953

919,819.00

Public Utilities: Durham has public utilities furnishing bus service, gas, tel- ephone and electric current service. These facilities compare favorably, both in cost of service and in efficiency, with those in other cities of similar size.

Public Services:

1948

1949

1950

Electric meters

28,157

31,238

34,929

Telephones

19,791

22,663

24,916

Gas meters

4,406

4,439

4,462

Miles of paved streets

104

107

Miles of sidewalks

Miles of water mains

228

236. 1

Miles of sewers .

324

326. 4

Number of water meters

15,549

16,358

16,835

1951

1952

1953

Electric meters .

38,665

41,866

44,749

Telephones

27,349

28,264

29,833

Gas meters

4,462

3,643

4,460

Miles of paved streets

112. 23

117.89

118. 9

Miles of sidewalks

76.5

Miles of water mains.

240. 6

249.2

249. 2

Miles of sewers .

330.8

333.5

Number of water meters

17,209

17,741

18,232

Recreation: Community recreation, under supervision of the Playground and Recreation Commission, supported by public taxation. Eleven public parks, containing swimming pools, tennis courts, etc. , 15 city playgrounds, and several large playgrounds maintained by industrial plants for the use of employees. Two 18-hole golf courses; magnificent country club; tennis and gun club; college foot- ball, baseball, basketball, track, boxing and wrestling. The schedules of Duke University and the University of North Carolina offer Durham citizens the oppor- tunity of seeing some of the best college teams of the East and South in action. Both these universities have magnificent stadiums, that of the University of North Carolina seating 44, 000 with temporary stands, while the stadium of Duke University has a seating capacity of 41, 000, and 56, 500 with temporary stands.

Schools: The public school system of Durham is nationally-known for its equipment, high scholastic standards and progressive policies. Croft Secre- tarial School and Kennedy's Commercial School are fully accrediated class "A" institutions.

City Schools Enrollment

1940-41

11,962

1941-42

11,552

1942-43

11,285

1943-44

10,475

1944-45

10,040

1945-46

10,177

1946-47

9,973

1947-48

9,791

1948-49

10,409

1949-50

10,665

1950-51

11,135

1951-52

11,220

1952-53

11,503

1953-54

. 11,012

Number of Schools: White, 14; colored, 8. Number of teachers 462. Value of public school plant, $7, 204, 845. 10.

XXIII

INTRODUCTION

Social Agencies: Young Men's Christian Association, Young Women's Chris- tian Association, Salvation Army, Red Cross, King's Daughters, Board of Charities and Public Welfare. Wright Refuge for Children, Junior League, Council of Social Agencies, Association for the Blind, Family Service Associa- tion, and Duke Legal Aid Clinic.

Streets: Durham is today one of the best paved cities in the state. The white-way lighting system in the business district is admitted to be one of the best in the South. Excellent street markers.

Taxes and Valuation: As of 1953, the city of Durham has an assessed valua- tion of $154, 880, 153, with a city tax rate of $1. 75 on the $100. Property as- sessed on 75% of true value. The county of Durham had an assessed valua- tion of $285, 336, 561, and a county tax rate of 71c on the $100. Property as- sessed on 75% of true value. No property is levied by the State.

Theatres: 5 motion-picture theatres for white, 1 for colored. 4 drive- in theatres for white, 1 for colored. Total seating capacity in the motion-picture theatres-5, 225.

Tobacco Market: The tobacco market in Durham sold in the 1945 season, 41, 525, 964 pounds for $18, 243, 434. . 94; 1946 season, 50, 937, 288 pounds for $23, 449, 361. 07;

1947 season, 49, 603, 108 pounds for $21, 329, 568. 07; 1948 season, 45, 541, 102 pounds for $22, 466, 317. 40;

1949 season, 37, 023, 456 pounds for $17, 949, 631.94; 1950 season, 43, 661, 544 pounds for $24, 245, 803. 10;

1951 season, 47, 163, 724 pounds for $25, 657, 065.86;

1952 season, 45, 429, 642 pounds for $22, 037, 694. 08;

1953 season, 31, 507, 206 pounds for $14, 789, 264. 30.

Transportation: Durham has five lines of railroad, radiating in seven di- rections. It has two lines of the Southern Railway, the Seaboard Air Line Rail- way, the Norfolk & Western Railway, the Durham & Southern Railway, and the Norfolk Southern Railroad. These railroads afford unusually good freight faci- lities. Durham is on the National Highway and the Central Highway, the princi- pal routes between the North and South and between the East and West. Excellent bus service is maintained between Durham and Raleigh, Wake Forest, Hender- son, Oxford, Roxboro, Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Pittsboro, Siler City and Dan- ville, Va.

Water: Durham has an ample supply of pure water. An impounding reservoir completed in 1926 stores 4, 600, 000, 000 gallons, which, if used for no other purpose, would, at the present rate of consumption, supply the demand for a period of two years. There is no longer any danger of a water shortage. The water is excellent for domestic uses and is soft and free from iron, making it very desirable for industrial purposes.

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Hill's Durham (Durham County, N.C.) City Directory [1955], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company. Publication date: 1955 Publisher: Hill Directory Co. Number of Pages: 1346

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1955
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 1346