To Sharp Monument Co. - Great Jones/west Chapel Hill - Se

35.996849, -78.905375

119-123
Durham
NC
Year built
1900-1910
Year(s) modified
1930-1948
Year demolished
1960
Construction type
Neighborhood
Building Type
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Until the early 1960s, Great Jones St. ended at West Chapel Hill Street - the southern streetscape of Main and West Chapel Hill was continuous up to the railroad crossing. The building at the southern terminus of Great Jones St. was for many years the T.O. Sharp monument company.

tosharp020.jpeg

Looking southeast, circa 1910. Budd-Piper roofing is in the background (to the left) and American Tobacco is in the distance (to the right.)
(Courtesy Duke Archives, Wyatt Dixon Collection)

A partial view of the TO Sharp building in the right-hand part of the picture during the underpass creation, 1920s (looking east up West Chapel Hill St.) The fourth and fifth buildings on the right are the buildings that constitute the Book Exchange, in later pictures, below.


(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Looking west from the Budd-Piper building across the roof of the TO Sharp building, early 1920s:


(Courtesy Duke Rare Book and Manuscript Collection.)

It appears that the TO Sharp building had a new facade added to the structure in the 1940s - perhaps this added a second story as well.

Looking southeast from the Liggett Factory, 1948:



Below, the 1959 aerial shows the roof of the former TO Sharp building 'encased' by the new facade.


(Courtesy Durham County Library)

119-123WMain_020360.jpg


By late 1959 the former TO Sharp building was torn down to make way for the first section of the loop. Ralph Rogers calls this building the 'Jones Market'.


Looking west - underpass is at the right edge of the picture.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

newexitcityparkinglot_2_120759.jpg

12.07.59

newexit_cityparkinglot_120759.jpg

12.07.59

After the teardown, but before the construction of the loop, 1960.


Looking southeast.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

After the creation of the loop, 1963.

Looking southeast.
(Courtesy Durham County Library)


A wider view showing clear two-way-ness to the initial loop construction.
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun)

And another view from 1964, which doesn't add much new except for the sign - can't wait for that parking deck!

Looking southeast

Same location, 2007. Not sure why or when the retaining wall got so high and the landscaping obliterated.

Looking southeast.

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