Garrett-Walker House

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

Plain one-story post-1940 frame cottage.

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

This lot was purchased by University Home Builders, Inc. in 1927 from F. M. Tilley, who had purchased it  in 1924 from the heirs of J. L. Markham who owned the large farm of which all this and the surrounding  land were a part. University Home Builders does not appear in Durham city directories, but from deeds  it can be determined that O. W. Belvin served as President and J. J. Lawson served as treasurer. A. A. Holder, a building contractor who lived at 1105 Urban Avenue, also seems to have been involved. O. W.  Belvin owned a brick yard and lived in a large brick house at 918 Mangum Street. His death certificate  lists him as a farmer and businessman. Lawson was in real estate w/ an office at 128 W. Main by 1927,  when the entity seems to have formed, and lived on the corner of what is now S. Buchanan and Burch  Avenue (then 416 Milton Avenue). 

Oren William Belvin purchased the lot on which the house at 907 Green Street stands in 1933 from his  business partner, A. A. Holder. O. W. Belvin died in 1937, and in 1944 his widow and executrix, Elizabeth  Belvin, deeded the lot to her son and his wife, James A. and Dorothy C. Belvin. James A. Belvin was serving overseas in WWII at the time of transfer and his discharge papers list his permanent address at  1103 N. Duke Street. James A. Belvin was a longtime employee of the US Postal Service and does not  seem to have been involved in the building trade. However, it is unlikely the Garretts had the house built,  since they purchased it in September 1949, and they are already listed in the house in the 1950 city  directory, the first time the house is listed in directories.