HAYTI/MEXICO

Although I've never personally heard the term, the African-American business district along Pettigrew Street was, according to the Historic Inventory, referred to as "Mexico". The book refers to this area as "the part of Hayti known as Mexico", so I suppose that it was not distinct from Hayti.

Many African-American owned businesses thrived in this area. The picture below shows three of the most well-known during the 1940s: the Biltmore Hotel, the Regal movie theater, and the Do-Nut Shop restaurant.

(Courtesy Durham County Library)

By the 1960s, the businesses in Hayti/Mexico were suffering from disinvestment, but many were still operating

View looking west from Ramsey, near Dillard
(Courtesy Durham County Library)

Urban renewal managed to change that.

(Courtesy Durham County Library)

The old Biltmore hotel building was still standing in the 1970s, but abandoned.

From "Durham: A Pictorial History" by J. Kostyu

Today, no buildings remain from 'Mexico'. It's hard to even figure out where the buildings were - the area has been so effectively erased, the infrastructure so changed, that only someone who was alive then and knew these establishments could definitively tell you where each was. We could put a historical marker on a car lot - that's just as good, right?

Looking west from Dillard Street.

Looking south across RR tracks and Pettigrew at Dillard

Looking south from Ramseur across RR tracks and Pettigrew, near Roxboro.

Comments

Submitted by Joe (not verified) on Fri, 10/20/2006 - 11:10pm

A friend of mine used to work at the "Venable Business Center" on Pettigrew between Roxboro and Dillard. He described to me how to get there by directing me to Pettigrew, then telling me to look for buildings that looked like a "bombed-out factory from Germany in the 1940s." From his description, I had no problem finding the place. :(

I understand Andy Rothschild has plans for the area. I hate to say it, but almost anything would be better than what's there now.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/28/2006 - 3:08am

can you do a Blog on East Maain St. please?

Submitted by Sven (not verified) on Sat, 10/28/2006 - 11:30am

Anonymous -

Which part of East Main are you interested in? I’ve done a bit of the area between Roxboro and Elizabeth. Are you interested in the part near Alston or further on near Driver/Guthrie?

I certainly plan to do all of these spots eventually, but let me know where you are interested in so that I can prioritize it.

Sven

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 2/5/2008 - 2:39am

Could you do some more on Hayti, or the parts where the freeway ran through? I'm curious to see what kind of houses there were before the freeway was built.

Submitted by Gary (not verified) on Tue, 2/5/2008 - 2:48am

Anon

I am getting there; I've been slowly gathering data/pictures. It will be quite the undertaking (a lot was torn down, and it's hard to figure out where things were) so I've been putting it off while I work to try to bolster my info and documents.

GK

Submitted by Mariomaster5 (not verified) on Thu, 2/7/2008 - 12:47am

Whatever you have to do. I must say, you've done an excellent job detailing Durham. I never would have known about most of these places if you didn't do this.

Submitted by John Schelp (not verified) on Mon, 7/28/2008 - 5:10pm

folks,

If you haven't already, you should get a copy of the book, "Black & White" by Lewis Shiner.

The story takes place against the backdrop of Hayti during the years of urban renewal. Other parts of Durham are also covered -- including American Tobacco, Brookwood Inn, VA Hospital, Ninth Street, and Woodrow Street near the City Reservoir.

Critics call the novel "both a page-turner and an urban documentary with a big, fierce heart."

Below are images of scenes in the novel.

"Black & White" is available at the library (long waiting list), the Regulator, etc.

best,
John

****

Northern stretch of Hayti (St Joseph's Church is far right)
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/e055.htm

Donut Shop, Pettigrew Street
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/g182.htm

Donut Shop (inside)
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/g183.htm

Donut Shop (Jade Room)
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/g059.htm

Regal Theater, Pettigrew Street
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/g001.htm

Biltmore Hotel, Pettigrew Street
http://www.dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/schelp/js036.htm

Biltmore Drug Store (inside)
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/g061.htm

Wonderland Theater, Pettigrew Street
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/e105.htm

St. Joseph's Church, Fayetteville St
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/e099.htm

American Tobacco Company
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/of019.htm

Protest march. Urban renewal. (near Durham Freeway & AmTob)
http://dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/photoarch/i019.htm

View of downtown Durham, from Hayti
http://www.dclibrary.net/prod1/ncc/schelp/js005.htm

****

Submitted by Gary (not verified) on Mon, 7/28/2008 - 5:26pm

John

Every one of these Hayti locations, and many others not mentioned will have a post on Endangered Durham within the next few months.

GK

Comments

Add new comment