North Mangum St. Bus Station

 

 

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Looking north at the intersection of N. Mangum St. and Rigsbee Ave. and SE Rochelle's motorcycle club, ~1910.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

The northeast portion of what we now consider 'downtown' was a primarily residential area well into the early 20th century, gradually supplanted by commercial structures during the 1920s and onward.

Above, an aerial view of the E. Chapel Hill St, Rigsbee Ave, N. Mangum 'triangle' in 1924. Many of the houses in the first picture have been demolished (although the house at the left edge of the frame in the first picture is still visible at the left edge of the above picture) and supplanted by commericial buildings and gas stations.

One of the buildings constructed on the triangle was Rochelle's bike and motorcycle shop, already profiled. The other commercial structures were two gas stations and the main bus station. One of the gas stations is visible in the above picture, at the southern 'point' of the triangle.

The bus station had previously been located further west on East Chapel Hill St. near the intersection of Corcoran and E. Chapel Hill. It appears to have moved to this location in the late 1920s or early 1930s.

The bus station in 1940, looking east from Rigsbee Ave. Rochelle's shop is to the left, and the steeple of Trinity Methodist is visible in the distance.
(Courtesy Library of Congress)

The below picture is extraordinary - It is hard to find pictures that document segregation in Durham. But the entire combination - including "Hitler's Love Life" is an amazing composition.

Looking west-northwest along the north side of the bus station - the post office is visible in the background.
(Courtesy Library of Congress)

Another picture documenting the segregation of the bus station - looking north along the east side of the bus station, up North Mangum St, 1940. (The intersection of N. Mangum and East Chapel Hill is in the background. Note the residential character beyond.)
(Courtesy Library of Congress)

Bus station from Rigsbee Ave., early 1940s.

Bus station, looking southeast, early 1940s.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

In 1942, the new bus station was built on East Main St. at Dillard St.
The old station was converted to a 'service canteen' for WWII soliers.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Looking east from Rigsbee Ave, 1944
(Courtesy Duke Archives)

After the war, the building became a pool hall.

Looking north from Rigsbee and N. Mangum - a service station is in the foreground, followed (along Mangum) by the old bus station and another service station - 06.07.61
(Courtesy Herald-Sun)

Looking southwest at the very cool art deco station at 404 East Chapel Hill Street, 1952
(Courtesy Wayne Henderson)

Looking southwest at the corner of East Chapel Hill St. and North Mangum, 1960. The service station appears to be vacant.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Looking north from Rigsbee and Mangum, 1961.

In 1961, these buildings were demolished by the city for surface parking (prior to the urban renewal program.)

At least we know they removed the USTs - 06.07.61
(Courtesy the Herald-Sun)

Looking southwest from North Mangum and East Chapel Hill, 1961.

Looking north from Rigsbee and Mangum, 1961.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Looking north from Rigsbee and Mangum, 1961.
(Courtesy Duke Archives)

The completed parking lot, 1963.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Looking southwest from East Chapel Hill and North Mangum, 1970.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

In the late 1960s, Durham closed the one block section of Rigsbee that ran between East Chapel Hill St. and North Mangum St., after having taken the buildings on the west side of Rigsbee via urban renewal. With the new, large parcel, they began construction of a new parking structure.

Looking southwest from East Chapel Hill and North Mangum, 1970.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

This behemoth is still with us, albeit with bright reddish accents

Looking north from the former intersection of Rigsbee and North Mangum, 2007.

Looking east at the former site of the bus station, 2007

Looking north up North Mangum along the east side of the former bus station.

Looking southwest from East Chapel Hill St. and North Mangum.

While I've hit a pretty constant drumbeat on the need for first floor retail or liner buildings to mitigate or eliminate the deadening effect that parking garages have on the streetscape, this one just needs to go away. The space here - with some great architecture around it - on East Chapel Hill, Orange, Parrish, and Mangum/Main (everything, essentially, except City Hall) is too valuable to be blotted out by a parking garage. This is a central space, and whether it contained public space or public space + new development, it should not be wasted on parking (particularly parking which obliterates the view of the post office, Rue Cler, etc.)