Downtown Durham

Temple Building

(Courtesy Duke Archives) The Temple building was constructed in 1909 by John Sprunt Hill out of materials left over from the construction of Watts Hospital on Club Blvd. (His uncle, George W. Watts, was the primary benefactor of the hospital.)

201-207 East Chapel Hill Street

The north side of the 200 block of East Chapel Hill St. - between Roney (which ran in front of the Carolina Theater) and Foster - resembled many of the other blocks downtown, with a row of two story, varied facades. Below, a partial view of the block - on the left - from the early 1920s. (Courtesy Durham County Library) 201-207 East Chapel Hill...

Citizens Bank - 102 East Main

Citizens Bank Building -- The Sneed-Thomas building was constructed on the southeast corner of East Main St. and South Mangum St. in the 1890s. It housed the Sneed and Thomas drugstore, operated by Paul C. Sneed and Allen S. Thomas. Their building was described in the "Handbook of Durham" as "a large three-story pressed brick building with marble...

Old Hill Building

One of the earliest masonry structures built in what is now the core of downtown, west of Corcoran St. was the Armory Building, built ~1895. Looking east on West Main St., 1900. Two two-story buildings are on the right side of the street - the more elaborate of the two, with the flanking square turrets projecting from the second floor, is the...

109-111 West Main Street

Just to the left of the structure at 115 West Main was the very similar 109-111 West Main, a Queen Anne structure built in 1893. Looking east-southeast from Main St. ~ 1913 (From "Images of America: Durham" by Stephen Massengill) And a view west from Mangum St., 1905, doesn't show much of the building, but the small tower is clearly visible....

Hill Building / CCB Building / Suntrust Building

Designed by Empire State Building architects Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon for banker John Sprunt Hill, the Hill Building or CCB (Central Carolina Bank) Building is one of the most iconic in Durham.

307-309 East Chapel Hill Street / "bargain Furniture"

Looking north on Corcoran Street, 1924 Ever wonder why Corcoran St. stopped at East Chapel Hill St. until the 2006-2007 link with Foster St.? Because Willie Mangum's farm was in the way when the streets were laid out. Looking north-northwest from Corcoran St. ~1890s. (Courtesy Duke Archives) By the early 20th century, Willie's farm had succumbed to...

101-107 West Chapel Hill St.

The first recorded business at 101-107 West Chapel Hill St. is the Cary Lumber Company, constructed sometime between 1898 and 1902. In 1913, the company moved west to Milton Ave. and West Main. Soon afterwards, a 3 story masonry building was constructed on the site. The eastern portion initially contained a 'garage' and the western portion a paint...

117 West Main Street

The south side of the 100 block of West Main St. contains a collection of some of the oldest structures remaining in downtown. The buildings at 117 and 119 West Main St. both date from the 1890s. 117 and 119 West Main, 1905. (Courtesy Duke Archives) An unusual shot shows these buildings from Parrish St. immediately after the fire of 1914 - a view...

415 East Chapel Hill

(Courtesy Duke Archives) The 400 block of East Chapel Hill Street was primarily transformed from a residential into a commercial street in the 1920s. The above picture shows 401, 405, 407, and 415 had been built by 1924. Looking east down East Chapel Hill, 1927 (Courtesy Durham County Library) By the 1940s, the block was built out. Looking east...