West Parrish Street

The buildings at 104 and 106 West Parrish St. were constructed in 1908 and 1909, respectively. 106 West Parrish rendering West Parrish from Orange St., looking northwest, 1922. A bird's-eye view of Parrish Street, looking northwest, 1924. (Courtesy Duke Archives) 106 West Parrish, the brick building on the northwest corner of Orange St. and West...

116 West Parrish was built between 1906 and 1910 as the remainder (western portion) of the 100 block of West Parrish developed subsequent to NC Mutual. Looking northeast, 1911. The building appears to have a sign that says "_ Soda". (Courtesy Duke Archives) A view of Parrish Street, looking northwest, 1924. (Courtesy Duke Archives)

118 West Parrish St. is the oldest building remaining on the north side of the 100 block of Parrish St. It was built sometime before 1905 as a 2-story structure. Looking east-northeast, 1905. Parrish St. is to the left, and 118 West Parrish is the rightmost structure in the row, with 3 sets of 3 windows. To its right is a large frame warehouse...

Aside from the previously featured Nancy Grocery and 119-121 N Mangum (the two ends of the block) the south side of the 100 block of W. Parrish St. seems to have been rarely photographed. The Parrish St. side of the block extending through to W. Main St. was also badly damaged in the fire of 1914. Looking west, 1914; the south side of the street is...

The building on the southwest corner of N. Mangum and W. Parrish was likely built during the 1910s, and contained a number of commercial storefronts on the N. Mangum St. side of the building. Below, the view from W. Parrish St., looking east, 1940s.

It may be apparent from this site that I have a certian predilection for interesting/quirky urban spaces, and, for me, 120 West Parrish is the oddest property in downtown Durham. To begin with, it isn't on Parrish St. In fact, it isn't on any street. It is in the middle of a block, accessible by alleyway only. The orange blob in the middle of the...

The building at the southeast corner of Parrish St. and Corcoran St. was one of a seeming endless series of homes for the Holland Bros. Furniture Company prior to 1914. This shot from 1905 shows their painted sign below the cornice line, looking northeast from the newly-built Trust Building. When a huge fire destroyed the entire 100 block of West...

Just after the turn of the century, the City decided to replace the scattered offices of the city along Main St. as well as the old city market that was supplanted by Union Station with a new, impressive municipal building known as the Academy of Music, which would be located between East Chapel Hill St., Corcoran, Market, and Parrish Sts. The site cost $16,000. The city commissioned architects Hook and Sawyer of Charlotte, who also executed the Southern Conservatory of Music and Fire Station #2, to design the structure.