Harkrader Houses

1999

The land on which the house above sits was vacant through much of the early-to-mid 20th century owing to the streambed which diagonally bisects the parcel. In 1935, when Furman Bridgers and his wife Margaret built their house on the tract immediately west of this house at 1325 Arnette Avenue, they acquired this tract as well, forming a large house plot extending through the block from Arnette to Shepherd. When they divorced in 1948, the two parcels were conveyed to Margaret, who sold the 1325 Arnette parcel to Dr. Richard Pearse. It's unclear to me what immediately happened to this parcel, but it was owned by Robert Holleman and his wife Ruth when they conveyed it on 05.28.58 to LR and Margaret Chambers. The Chambers conveyed the parcel to "Eastmark Investment Company" on 06.30.66. Eastmark appears to have been a business interest for the Chambers. They then sold it to Richard and Lonna Harkrader on 04.05.74.

The Harkraders built for themselves what would be a ~prototype for a multitude of other passive solar houses that made good use of clever siting and contemporary design to build on what had been considered 'difficult' parcels upon which to site a house.

Looking northeast, 05.12.2013

2000 square feet, 2 stories.

This passive solar 'Harkrader House' was built by New Morning Construction. The home sits on stilts and has an elevated bridge entry. The multiple windows on the southern side of the house let in additional light and warmth in the winter months, when the leaves are off the trees and the sun sits low in the sky. The house is approximately 1200 square feet.

01.19.14

02.13.14

1219 Shepherd St was one of the first homes built in Durham by Richard and Lonna Harkrader. Their company New Morning Construction went on to construct numerous single family homes and apartments in Durham and the Morehead Hill neighborhood.

The home was designed and built for the Harkrader's friends, twin brothers Wib and Dub Gulley. Wib Gulley went on to become the Mayor of Durham.

This passive solar 'Harkrader House' is ~1200 sf and built on stilts with a walkway bridge entrance, a feature of a number of homes designed by Richard Harkrader, which allowed homes to be built on steeply sloping lots. The street frontage is on the western side of the house, and has few windows. The south side of the house has numerous large windows. In summer, awnings and leaves on the trees block the sun, while in the winter when the sun is lower in the sky and the leaves are off the trees, the south facing windows allow sunlight to enter and warm the home.

02.16.14 (Gary Kueber)

2006

02.16.14 (Gary Kueber)

2012

Passive solar house built in 1978 by Richard and Lonna Harkrader / New Morning Construction.

(Durham County tax office)
 

(Durham County tax office)
 

2007

02.13.14

2011

Developed by Richard Harkrader / New Morning Construction along with 1206 Hill St. and 705 Cobb in 1980. Sold to Joyce Copeland and Russell Giesler in 1980.

02.13.14

This passive solar 'Harkrader House' was built by New Morning Construction for one of the firm's carpenters, Ben Spiller, and his family.

1999

02.13.14

This single family passive solar 'Harkrader House' is one of a number of homes built by New Morning Construction on Carroll Street. The home features multiple windows on the southern side of the house to let in light and warmth in the winter, when the sun is low in the sky, as well as an awning to keep out the sun in the summer when the sun sits higher in the sky. The home has a solar hot water heater on the roof.

This passive solar multi-family home was built by New Morning Construction. The units were managed by New Morning Construction's affiliate, New Morning Realty, until 2007 when the units were sold to the Durham Land Trust, which continues to maintain the apartments. The apartments feature bridge walkway entrances and multiple windows on the southern side of the units, to let in light and warmth in the winter when the sun sits low in the sky.

This single family passive solar 'Harkrader House' sits on a sloping lot. The entrance is accessed by a bridge walkway.

This single family passive solar 'Harkrader House' is built on a sloping lot and features a bridge walkway entrance and numerous windows on the south side of the house, which let in light and warmth in the winter, when the sun is low in the sky. The house has a solar hot water heater on the roof.

This passive solar multi-family 'Harkrader House' was built by New Morning Construction. It was managed by New Morning Construction's affiliate, New Morning Realty, until it was sold to the Durham Land Trust in 2007.

This single family passive solar 'Harkrader House' is built on a sloping lot with a bridge walkway. The home has numerous windows on the south side of the house to let in light and warmth in the winter, when the sun is low in the sky. The home has a solar hot water heater on the roof.