Floyd Coal Company / Cowan Mitchell Lumber Co

Floyd Coal Company, company, visible just beyond the Durham Hosiery Mill No 6 buildings.

The current right-of-way for Fayetteville St. north of Ramseur and its continuation as North Elizabeth (north of East Main to Liberty) did not exist until the 1970s. Industrial businesses located along either side of the Norfolk-Western /Durham Beltline railway, now located just east of the right-of-way.

The larger factory structures to the east of the railway have mostly survived - the more shed-like structures along the western side of the railway were either destroyed prior to the creation of the roadway of for it. The Floyd Coal Company and the Cowan-Mitchell Lumber Company, located at the Beltline and south and north of Walker St., respectively, were two of these. Cowan-Mitchell burned to the ground in 1954, but appears to have been rebuilt.

"Cowan Mitchell Lumber Co - Fire Destruction - 09.04.54"
The Herald-Sun Newspaper)

"Cowan Mitchell Lumber Co - Fire Destruction - 09.04.54"
The Herald-Sun Newspaper)

"Cowan Mitchell Lumber Co - Fire Destruction - 09.04.54"
The Herald-Sun Newspaper)

"Cowan Mitchell Lumber Co - Fire Destruction - 09.04.54"
The Herald-Sun Newspaper)

Even after Fayetteville was re-routed south of the freeway, it was not extended to the north until ~the late 1980s

~1980 Bird's Eye view, looking south with East Main St. in the foreground, showing Fayetteville St. terminating at East Pettigrew, and the path of the Beltline rail north to East Main.
(Courtesy Mark and Sheila Carpenter)

Construction of Fayetteville north of the RR tracks, ~late 1980s
(Courtesy Robby Delius)

Construction of Fayetteville north of the RR tracks, ~late 1980s
(Courtesy Robby Delius)

This road remains one the more unpleasant features of the downtown Durham landscape - bloated and bleak, it's an object lesson for the 'desperate need' to widen Alston. Beyond Roxboro, this road creates a 'secondary moat' between eastern downtown/East Durham and the core of downtown.

Site of Cowan Mitchell, 10.22.10

Path of Fayetteville St / N. Elizabeth north of the NCRR tracks, looking north, 09.18.10
(Courtesy Phil Marsosudiro (photo) / Bill Watson (pilot))

Find this spot on a Google Map.
35.989935,-78.892707

Comments

Submitted by Andrew Edmonds (not verified) on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 3:28am

Wow, the eastern corner of Hood and E Main Streets had a whole string of buildings. Who knew?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 11/15/2010 - 6:00pm

The railroad that runs beside the Golden Belt Mfg. Co, is the Norfolk & Western Rwy. (former Lynchburg & Durham RR), not the Durham Belt Line. The Durham Belt Line RR ran from a wye with the N&W North of the East Geer St. railroad bridgeup to the Liggett & Myers plant on Main Street. The Belt Line was built by Brodie Duke to connect the L&D with the L & M plant (at that time the W. Duke & Sons plant). After the bankrupcy purchase of the Durham Belt Line RR., N&W trains into Durham left the former L&D line and ended on the Belt Line RR at Main Street. The N&W engine terminal was near El Toro Park behind the City Garage. When the City of Durham wanted to expand the City Garage in the 1960s, the N&W built Duke Yard North of the wye.

One part of the Durham Belt Line planned,but never built, was a branch from the Washington Street crossing due West to Trinity College and Erwin Mills.

Submitted by Gary (not verified) on Mon, 11/15/2010 - 6:06pm

Thanks Anon - I always thought the Belt Line included the section between where the Norfolk and Western branches to the northeast near Geer St. and the NCRR tracks. I appreciate the correction -

GK

Submitted by Andrew Edmonds (not verified) on Sat, 12/4/2010 - 2:20am

This lot on the 1913 Sanborn is labeled with the business name "J.N. Umstead & Son Wood & Coal Yard".

Floyd Coal Company / Cowan Mitchell Lumber Co

35.989574, -78.893552

Related Tours

Comments

Add new comment