1211 Fayetteville - Dr. J. Napoleon Mills House

35.982051, -78.898696

1211
Fayetteville Street
Durhan
NC
Cross Street
Simmons Street
Year built
1915
Local historic district
Fayetteville Street
National Register
Stokesdale
Neighborhood
Hayti
Building Type
Residential
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(Courtesy Duke Rare Book and Manuscript Collection / scanned by Digital Durham)

Dr. Joseph Napoleon Mills was born in Richards, NC in 1879 and attended Kittrell Normal and Industrial School and Leonard Medical School, from which he graduated with an MD in 1907. Mills began practicing medicine in Durham in 1907, and married Sarah J. Amey of Durham in 1915, and likely constructed the house at 1211 Fayetteville St. for himself and his family soon thereafter.

He established a private practice and served as a staff attending at Lincoln Hospital. In addition, he worked as a field examiner for the North Carolina Mutual Company and a physician for North Carolina Central University, then referred to as the North Carolina College. As with many of the preeminent figures of Hayti, Mills was involved in numerous other business endeavors - including stints as a director for the Machanics and Farmers bank and president of the People's Drug Store.

Mills lived here until his death in the 1960s, after which the house was occupied by a Mrs. Edna Mills. I believe that it is currently a rental house.


Looking northeast, 11.15.08

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35.982051 -78.898696

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Comments

Submitted by Steve (not verified) on Wed, 11/26/2008 - 3:57pm

I think you're lulling us into a false sense of historic architectural security, as in this is the fourth or so post where the structure hasn't been bulldozed by the city!

Submitted by wren (not verified) on Wed, 11/26/2008 - 8:39pm

Steve and I are thinking alike today. I was dreading the "scroll down" on this post, fully convinced Durham would have bladed that house just because that's what Durham does. What a nice suprise!

Submitted by coco (not verified) on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 12:12am

Congratulations on the Indy Citizen Award! It is well deserved, and I hope it brings even more people to your blog. Happy Thanksgiving.

Submitted by Gary (not verified) on Thu, 11/27/2008 - 1:09am

Thank you, coco. I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving too.

G

Submitted by Moody (not verified) on Wed, 12/10/2008 - 8:08pm

Man I appreciate this. Dr.Mills was my great uncle and he has a daughter-in-law named Johnnie Mae Mills. She is now in residing in De. Dr.Mills had a son name Clinton Mills (the husband of Johnnie Mae ) who was a Tuskeegee airman who is now deceased. His oldest son Joseph lives in NY and is an artist and I cannot remember the daughters name but she did become a Dr. and she resides in NJ. Keep up the good work you do my man.

Submitted by PeterK (not verified) on Wed, 8/14/2013 - 4:13pm

Unfortunately this place looks worse now than it did in the 2008 image above. Maybe it's just the overgrowth dragging it down. There is a dumpster truck backed up to the back door. There is a deed fro 4/8/2013 which transferred ownership. I hope the new owner can give this place a new lease on life. It's such a beautiful place. All that masonry detail makes this place unique.

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