Dennis-Tew House

(Below in italics is from the 2004 East Durham National Register listing; not verified for accuracy by this author.)

Benjamin Parrish House. 1-story Minimal Traditional-style house with vinyl siding, 6-over-6 sash windows, and a gabled 1-bay entrance porch with metal posts.1940 CD. 1945 CD: Benj. C. Parrish owner/occupant (driver, Scott & Roberts Dry Cleaning).

C Garage. Ca.1940. Front-gable garage with weatherboard and exposed rafter tails.

(The information below in italics is from the Preservation Durham Plaque Application for the Dennis-Tew House)

While the lot for 612 N. Driver St. was platted in 1920, the house was constructed around  1938. Jefferson and Roselle Byrd bought the land in 1936 for $275 from the First  National Bank of Durham and constructed the one-story minimal traditional home. The  Byrd’s lived down the street at 706 N. Driver (formerly called 1st Ave) and Jefferson  owned Byrd + Beck Grocery. 612 N. Driver does not appear on the 1937 Sanborn Map.  The first resident, Pate F. Weaver, appears in the 1938 City Directory.  

612 served as a rental until it was purchased in 1944 by Benjamin and Ruth Parrish. In  1947, the Dennis’ purchased the house, and it remained in their family until 1993.  Charles E. and Minnie Dennis had two children, Margaret Hazel and Edward Charles.  Charles owned a fish market at 542 1/2 Pettigrew Street. Minnie was employed at the  American Tobacco Co. In 1957, at the age of 61, Charles died. He is buried at Woodlawn  Memorial Park. Minnie remarried and became Minnie Dennis Tew. She died at the age of  90 in 1992 and was also buried at Woodlawn.