Eno Meeting House / Eno Primitive Baptist Church

36.038444289389, -78.886378555453

3500
Danube Lane
Durham
NC
Cross Street
Old Oxford Road
Year built
1858
Year(s) modified
1976
Construction type
Brick Veneer and Frame
Neighborhood
Bragtown
Use
Church
Building Type
Church
Local ID
172046
State ID
DH2290
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Eno Primitive Baptist Church, January 2023.
Eno Primitive Baptist Church, January 2023 (N. Levy).

Organized in 1773 as Eno Meeting House, this was one of the earliest congregations established in what became Durham County. As documented by Jean Bradley Anderson, the will of Richard Rhodes and property records from Orange County as far back as the 1790s indicate land at this same location was set aside for this purpose. The name of the congregation changed at some point in the 19th century, though it is unclear if that reflects a change in its affiliation. Newspaper references dating to 1840 make it clear that the church was affiliated with Baptist conventions by that time, while the present name - Eno Primitive Baptist Church - has been in use since at least the 1880s.

1887 map fragment showing Eno Primitive Baptist location.
Fragment of 1887 Johnson Map of Durham County showing church near center as "Eno P.B." (full map online via Library of Congress).

The earliest log structures on this site are said to have burned and been replaced prior to the Civil War. Some portion of the present, brick-veneered structure - modified as recently as 1976 - is believed to date to that era.

Dedication stone for Eno Primitive Baptist Church.
Dedication stone on the front of Eno Primitive Baptist Church, referencing the date of the congregation's founding and its most recent renovation (N. Levy, January 2023).

Included in over four acres of church property between Danube Lane and Old Oxford Road is also one of the county's oldest continuously operating cemeteries. Cemetery Census suggests it contains the graves of many enslaved people and their descendants - perhaps indicating African Americans were members of the congregation prior to Emancipation. Indeed, this seems to be one of relatively few burial grounds in which both White and Black Durhamites rest side-by-side (albeit apparently in segregated sections).

Eno Primitive Baptist Cemetery, June 2021.
View southwest across part of Eno Primitive Baptist cemetery. Danube Lane runs across the right background (N. Levy, June 2021).

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Comments

Submitted by dothillhill27103 on Mon, 5/29/2023 - 6:45pm

I have a book dating back to 1773 which is a handwritten record of the members of the church. It tells of The Church at Eno in Conference. There are 179 pages in the book mostly from 1820 to 1838. I wish I knew if this is the same church mentioned. 

Submitted by egerm on Tue, 3/11/2025 - 9:13am

Are any people with the last name "Scoggins" listed in it? My great-great-grandmother is buried outside that church and may have been a member. 

Submitted by andyelisa on Thu, 5/1/2025 - 7:59am

Good morning, dothillhill27103!

In my recent studies of the early baptists of the Orange/Durham county area, I noticed your post above from a couple of years ago. I have been in contact with a longtime member of the Eno Primitive Baptist church and plan to hear more of his stories from his family heritage at Eno Primitive Baptist. However, I am extremely interested in the primary sources and when I read that you have access to the 1820-1838 Conference minutes, I was so encouraged and intrigued. Would there be any possibility to review those minutes so that I can piece together some of the history during that time period? I have other documents from 1870's as well as Shady Grove's conference minutes from 1820's, but I am trying to learn how Shady Grove was started. Shady Grove Baptist church minutes said that they were started from Eno Baptist, so It would be listed in the Eno minutes that you alluded to in your post. Thank you so much and, if you are interested, I would love to exchange contact information. This is amazing.

Submitted by andyelisa on Thu, 5/1/2025 - 10:32pm

Thanks so much for posting! I attempted to send a post earlier today, but not sure I submitted it correctly. I would be very interested in reading the minutes from 1820 for Eno. I have been compiling the history of the Baptist in the Orange and Durham County area and would love to fill in the gap by reading those minutes. Thank you and feel free to reach out regarding the possibility of reading those minutes. Thank you!

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