36.005966, -78.888092
The TE Cheek house was built in ~1923 on the site of the Geer Farmhouse after that house was moved to the west end of the block between Hamlin (now Rosetta) and North Alston Ave. I've spent hours trying to track down the deed records on this house prior to 1968, but when dealing with "Geer"s and "Cheek"s, it's a messy business. The above plat dates from 1937. It appears that Thomas Edgar Cheek Sr. died in 1942, and Thomas Edgar Cheek Jr. died in 1947.
JR and Helen Gann, part-owners (with family) of the Gann Hosiery Mill acquired the property prior to 1968. In 1968, the property was conveyed to the Moose Lodge (Greater Durham Tobaccoland Lodge No. 2045, Loyal Order of Moose) by JR and Helen Gann.
Aerial of the block showing the Cheek house and circular drive, 1959
The Moose Lodge appears to have used the old house from 1968 until 1981. They tore down the old structure and built a new facility in 1981
TE Cheek house teardown, 05.10.81
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
TE Cheek house teardown, 05.10.81
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
TE Cheek house teardown, 05.10.81
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
TE Cheek house teardown, 05.10.81
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
In May 1994, they sold the property to American Legion, Durham Post 7, which continues to use the site today. Only the old circular drive remains from its former incarnation.
02.07.11
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36.005966,-78.888092
Comments
Submitted by Freddie (not verified) on Tue, 2/15/2011 - 12:55pm
Wow! What a difference. That's such an injustice to such a beautiful house! Have not seen a tudor style like that in Durham...Too bad cause that American Legion building looks like crap!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 2/15/2011 - 3:05pm
Why do people replace beautiful old buildings with ugly prefabs.
Submitted by Steve Graff (not verified) on Tue, 2/15/2011 - 3:12pm
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for posting this article! I have often heard about the old TE Cheek home that used to be where our house, the Geer Farmhouse, used to sit. It really help to put the history of our house into context.
While the American Legion is a very good neighbor, it was such a major loss to the character of the neighborhood to lose the TE Cheek house. I have to wonder if we would be having the problems in the immediate neighborhood with drug addiction, drug dealing, prostitution and gun violence if that house were still standing.
Submitted by Gary (not verified) on Tue, 2/15/2011 - 4:25pm
Thanks Steve - your house is coming up tomorrow.
GK
Submitted by Chris M. (not verified) on Mon, 12/5/2011 - 3:21pm
Wow--that was such a unique old home. A real loss to the community, and one of the unfortunate problems with organizations like the American Legion and Moose Lodge--while these organizations do a lot of good in the community, it seems like they have often in the past been very poor stewards of historic buildings in their use.
Submitted by steve gann (not verified) on Mon, 12/5/2011 - 3:22pm
this was a great old house that i spent most of my childhood exploring. The best part was the haunted single bedroom on the third floor.
Submitted by Elizabeth Thomas (not verified) on Sat, 3/2/2013 - 10:32am
So sad to see this beautiful home torn down. I am a descendent of the Cheek family and have many photos of my mom growing up in that house.
Submitted by JoAnne Stone Mercer (not verified) on Mon, 3/11/2013 - 6:41pm
Amazing that I am doing Elizabeth Payton Dunn's Ancestry, and her Grandmother was the 'infant, Elizabeth Taylor Cheek', whom this home was left too. Amazing!
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