402 Morris Street / Morris Ridge

402 Morris (on the northeast corner of Morris and Hunt) was once owned by James F Corbett, a grocer, who had a small store at the rear of the lot.

The portion of Hunt Street between Morris and Foster was formerly called "Corbett Street", which I assume refers to this man.

1972 is the last year in the City Directories for which there are entries for 402-408 Hunt Street. They were all vacant at that time.

Here's a brief outline of some of the residents of these four houses over the years:

402 Hunt Street
1971 - Alease Smith
1970 - Robert Trice, labor, Geo Warren Construction
1961 - Lucy Riffin and Chas Mock, laborer, Liggett & Myers

404 Hunt Street
1971 - Guy Dodey, Jr., construction worker and Mrs Ruby Larry
1970 - Guy Dodey, Jr., construction worker and Mrs Ruby Larry
1961 - Mrs Lillie H Jenkins, stemmer, Liggett & Myers

406 Hunt Street
1971 - vacant
1970 - vacant
1961 - Otis Miles, helper, Liggett & Myers and Mrs Elizabeth T Trice, maid

408 Hunt Street
1971 - Richard E Jones, construction worker, Charles Gurley Co. and Dean Owens, employee, Nello Terr
1970 - Richard E Jones, construction worker, Charles Gurley Co.
1961 - Junius M Gillmore, laborer

I don't know if it's more nerdy to say I researched this on Gary's behalf, or that I was doing my own independent research on the Central Park area (for the record: it's the latter).

I believe that all of these residents were asterisked, (meaning that they were/are African-American), save Corbett, in the City Directories.

I was surprised to see on the 1937 Public Works racial map that several streets in this area comprised a small, African-American enclave: two blocks each of Roney, Foster, and Hunt, in additin to a portion of Corporation. None of these residences exist today, and probably none past the mid-1970s?

Gary, do you intend to profile the 300 block of Hunt Street? I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that a grocer existed on the northwest corner on Hunt and Foster, right were the SEEDS kids set up their Farmers' Market booth every Saturday.

The grocery was owned by both blacks and whites at various times. The longest-lasting shopkeeper was Harry Bloom, who appears to have owned it for ~15 years.

The small structure was also home to an AME church, according to the 1913 Sanborn map.

I love the somewhat-continuity of this block being used as a source for food in the early part of each the 20th and 21st Centuries.

Andy -

Thanks for the in-depth research! No need to apologize for the "nerdyness" -- it's hip to be square.

In another vein, I find it hard to imagine that the planned "Morris Ridge" development will be built any time in the next decade. I'd love to see more downtown housing available, but I suspect the era of the fresh-built luxury condo development may have passed.