Support OpenDurham.org
Preserve Durham's History with a Donation to Open Durham Today!
OpenDurham.org is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of our community. Run by our parent nonprofit, Preservation Durham, the site requires routine maintenance and upgrades. We do not ask for support often (and you can check the box to "hide this message" in the future), but today, we're asking you to chip in with a donation toward annual maintenance of the site. Your support allows us to maintain this valuable resource, expand our archives, and keep the history of Durham accessible to everyone.
Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference and makes you a member of Preservation Durham. Help us keep Durham's history alive for future generations.
Comments
Submitted by gary on Sun, 11/11/2012 - 5:00pm
Do you have a picture of the house?
Submitted by pkimw01 on Sun, 11/11/2012 - 9:24pm
Yes. I was having trouble getting them downsized, but hopefully they will be okay now.
Submitted by gary on Sun, 11/11/2012 - 10:02pm
This is great - thanks for adding this. Under "Location," could you click to put a pin on the map exactly where this is? I can't tell from the Google aerial.
GK
Submitted by gary on Sun, 11/11/2012 - 10:46pm
Ok - think I found it on the county aerials.
Submitted by Kim (not verified) on Sun, 11/11/2012 - 11:09pm
In reply to Ok - think I found it on the by gary
You've got the location right. Thanks.... I'd done that, but it must have gotten lost with my changes.
Submitted by Avius Quovis on Thu, 11/15/2012 - 1:04pm
I found this place while walking through the woods back in 2009. I was amazed at what good shape it was in for having been abandoned for so long. There were catalogs from the 1960s in the living room and jars in the cupboards. I'm really sad to see it go.
I've got some shots from before the forest was cleared, I'll see if I can round them up.
Submitted by Durhamite (not verified) on Thu, 11/15/2012 - 8:11pm
Thanks, pkimw01 for the images. Are there any interior pictures of the place? I would have had to stick my head (and camera) inside...but you are probably a nice person and didn't do so :-)
Submitted by Avius Quovis on Fri, 11/16/2012 - 9:35pm
I am a very nice person... and that did not in any way prevent me from taking a little self-guided tour! It was pretty obvious that this place had not been lived in for a very long time. These are all from 2009-10, when the encroaching forest was intact. There are more in my flickr set here: flickr dot com/photos/avius/sets/72157622075727734/
There were still some jars with recognizable food inside.
One of the few places where the water had gotten in; I think a wood-burning stove was in this corner of the kitchen:
One of the bedrooms, with papers and clothing strewn all over:
Some local WWII propaganda that was in the pile of debris above:
Submitted by gary on Fri, 11/16/2012 - 9:54pm
Wow - those are fantastic. Thanks so much for adding them.
GK
Submitted by Avius Quovis on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 1:43pm
In reply to Wow - those are fantastic. by gary
Thanks! It's not often I have much to contribute here, since most of the things I find have already been more extensively documented already. Happy to help!
Submitted by Durhamite (not verified) on Sat, 11/17/2012 - 10:19am
I do think you are nice pkimw01...and an awesome photographer. Thanks for the images!
Submitted by Kim (not verified) on Sat, 11/17/2012 - 10:43am
Great pictures. I took 55 pictures of this house, inside, outside, property and out buildings. I wasn't sure if there was a limit. I'll upload more. I'm working on getting a picture of this house when the Hopsons lived there. There aren't many old empty houses between Lowe's Grove, Apex, Hwy 55 and Jordan Lake that I haven't been in. I've been taking pictures and trying to stay ahead of the developers tearing down the old houses for the last 10 years or so.
Submitted by pkimw01 on Sun, 11/18/2012 - 11:45pm
Old outhouse.
Front left support
Corner of tobacco barn
Wagon wheel used to support central back porch
Looking east from the rear of the house, Sumitomo Electric on T.W. Alexander Drive can
be seen on the adjoining tract of land.
Submitted by me (not verified) on Tue, 12/18/2012 - 8:56pm
All things considered, the house is in incredibly intact condition! Even the curtains haven't become tattered, even with no glass left in the windows, etc!
No one lived there in 45 years! Incredible. Must have been a well built house if it survived so well.
Submitted by Durhamite (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2012 - 4:55pm
Looking back again at how neat this house is. Some of the pictures have a Grant Wood-American Gothic flavor; the front gable with its stepped windows is reminiscent of the painting's lancet window.
Submitted by josh on Mon, 6/19/2017 - 1:37pm
I drive down S. Alston many days on my way to work, past the Southeastern Freight terminal that must be where this beautiful home once stood. Thanks for the great photos of this house. Does anyone have more information about Lowes Grove? Was it part of Durham or a separate town?
Add new comment
Log in or register to post comments.