Thursday, November 13, 2008

901-907 FAYETTEVILLE (EAST)

The 900 block of Fayetteville St., by the 1940s, began the southern transition to the more residential portion of the Hayti neighborhood. The southeast corner of Glenn St. and Fayetteville St. had become Star Taxi by 1938, and Parham's Gulf Service Station by the 1940s. (Carolina Gulf by the early 1950s, Southside Service Station (a Shell Station) by the mid 1950s.


901 Fayetteville, 1962.
(Courtesy Durham County Library / North Carolina Collection)

905 Fayetteville was a converted residence that housed Jones Shoe Shop through much of the mid 20th Century.


901 Fayetteville, 1962.
(Courtesy Durham County Library / North Carolina Collection)

And 907 Fayetteville was the longtime home of Ms. Bessie Whitted.


901 Fayetteville, 1962.
(Courtesy Durham County Library / North Carolina Collection)

These structures were demolished by the late 1960s. I believe this area became part of the 1970s 'Tin City' - where the Relocation Authority placed businesses displaced by urban renewal. Most of Tin City was demolished by the 1980s, and this area was redeveloped as housing.


Site of 901-907 Fayetteville, 10.05.08

(The kids playing football in front of this house, interested in why I was taking pictures, were fascinated to learn about all of the buildings and businesses that once lined this street - for about 20 seconds, until football became far more interesting again. But they had no idea that they were living on the street where these businesses once were.)

Find this spot on a Google Map.


35.984700 -78.897900

2 comments:

Jessica T. said...

That last part is what hurts the most: The kids had no idea what had been.

The Third Grade NC Social Studies Curriculum is supposed to be all about communities.

Why can't we teach students about the community in which they live? Why can't we make it real for them -- letting them look at maps, and photos? Teaching them about a walkable community that was? About the social and commericial institutions and infrastructure that were? Allowing the kids to relate their learning to their homes. This is what Endangered Durham lets us do.

The reason why not? Because it's not in the NC curriculum. it doesn't jibe with the ABC's of education.

Steve said...

Very well said!

It is too bad about what teachers HAVE to teach the kids; community to them (the kids and even the teachers) is an abstract.

But when there's such good local examples, shouldn't they be used? It's just like Jessica said, and what Endangered Durham preaches.