Westover Park / 2334 Guess Road

36.025373, -78.921846

2334
Durham
NC
Neighborhood
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"Northgate Park - Guess Road Flood Photos" - 08.25.57
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)


"Northgate Park - Guess Road Flood Photos" - 08.25.57
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)






The following was included with the above as "Northgate Park - Guess Road Flood Photos." Not sure where the below was taken, but I like his spirit.



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36.025373,-78.921846

Comments

When I was a kid living on Broad Street two blocks from this park, I frequently went there. There was a higher level even with the street and a lower level even with Ellerbee Creek. A long sliding board connected the two levels. When the park flooded as shown in the above photos, we could slide down into the "lake" of water!

I think this photo of the intrepid fisherman was made at Northgate Park. There was a large birdhouse in the center during the 1960's, and there appears to be one in the background. E.D. ran a mystery photo of a flood there some time back; it was identified, but I cannot find it now. I looked on Mystery Photos, and Acadia Street. Wonder if it is the same flood? I believe Tony Rumple, a Durham Sum photographer who lived down the street took the photo.

I agree with Anon. Same creek, but several miles downstream from Westover Park. It looks like Acadia near Club Blvd. (at Northgate Park) where the creek goes under both streets.

I think that the mystery photo was the "Great Flood" in Northgate Park after Hurricane Hazel in 1954. That's when the water flooded the Parkview Baptist church on Acadia Street up to the windows. I can remember seeing people in a canoe going into the church thru the front doors. After the Hurricane Hazel Flood, some dredging was done in Ellerbee Creek near Club Blvd.This didn't prevent flooding, but I don't think that church was flooded again quite as badly. Friends of my parents who were members of the church said that the congregation almost decided to relocate.

Anon

I should have posted that the bottom photo was the same date as the ones above -1957.

GK

The name of this park is Westover Park, bordered by Guess Road, Maryland Avenue, and Wagoner Street. I grew up on the corner of Sunset and Delaware, exactly one block south. The park is two blocks North of the ball field for the NC School of Math and Science. I can't even begin to estimate the number of hours I spent playing here. The "slide" from the upper level to the lower level was (and still is) a series of very shallow concrete steps that we would sled down on our Flexible Fliers, sort of like sliding down a giant washboard! Still a great park...

That bottom photo is indeed Northgate Park, next to Club Boulevard School. The multi-family birdhouse seen in the distance was a landmark in that park for years. The birdhouse ceased to exist in the 1970's. The park is ideally situated in a flood zone (no houses), and flooded periodically. The man is facing north and is standing near -and with his back to- Club Boulevard (the street).

We used to call Northgate Park "The Bird Sanctuary." Lots of Easter Egg hunts and Girl Scout and church picnics in the 50's and 60's were held there.

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