Rigsbee Avenue

1939 The Dillard and Gamble livery stables and real estate company (business synergy !...?) was located on Rigsbee Avenue just to the north of the Big 4 auction warehouse. It was destroyed by the 1944 fire that also destroyed that warehouse. According to Charlotte Observer, July 9, 1944, "Other establishments burned to earth included the Central...

Looking northwest, 1940s (Library of Congress - FSA) (Library of Congress - FSA) Although the structure below bears some resemblance in styling, I believe the Farmer's Exchange was destroyed by the 1944 fire that also destroyed the Big 4 warehouse, and the structure below must have replaced it. From the roof of the Roycroft Warehouse, looking south...

216 Rigsbee, on the right. (Courtesy Durham County Library) The once-residential area on Rigsbee developed from the tobacco warehouses south and from Mangum north during the 1920s. The house in the middle, now 204-208 Rigsbee, was demolished for parking (yep, even back in the 1920s.) The above photo shows the lot to the left of 216 Rigsbee from the...

06.07.08 (Photo by Gary Kueber) 03.15.2011 (Photo by Gary Kueber) Renovated in 2011 as a bar, named "Surf Club," with a large patio where the parking lot is in the above pictures. 10.1.13 - Parking lot converted into outdoor seating that is dog friendly. Many friendly free roaming dogs can be seen in this enclosed garden. Photo by Andrius...

502 Rigsbee (center) - 1957 06.08.08 09.10.11 09.10.11 09.29.11 11.26.11 02.18.12

The structures near the intersection of Rigsbee and Morgan were likely constructed in the 1920s, on land that had previously been residential. The buildings, like most of Morgan St. contained light industry and services. Many of the commercial buildings in this area had a market relationship with the nearby tobacco warehouses, providing services...

--- The structures near the intersection of Rigsbee and Morgan were likely constructed in the 1920s, on land that had previously been residential. The buildings, like most of Morgan St. contained light industry and services. Many of the commercial buildings in this area had a market relationship with the nearby tobacco warehouses, providing...

Looking southeast from Rigsbee Ave. and East Chapel Hill St. Trinity Methodist (pre-steeple) is in the background. (Courtesy Durham County Library) The building at the southeast corner of Rigsbee Ave. and East Chapel Hill St. was likely built by S.E. Rochelle as the second home of his bicycle, motorcycle,and gun shop, which he started in 1910 at...

706 Rigsbee was the site of the LIttle Acorn restaurant. The Little Acorn restaurant was started in 1940 by Robert Roycroft. Like many of the eating establishments that lined Rigsbee Ave. and Morgan St., the Little Acorn catered to businesses in and patrons of the warehouse district, but it appears to have had far wider appeal as well. Per a 1951...

From the corner of Rigsbee Ave and East Chapel Hill St., looking northwest at the AM Rigsbee house, ~1920s. (Courtesy Duke Rare Book and Manuscript Collection - Wyatt Dixon Collection) The block of East Chapel Hill St. between Holland St. and Rigsbee Ave. was the site of the William Mangum homestead and farm, which stretched west to present-day...