Looking southwest, ~1920. (Courtesy Duke Archives). After Durham County was established by vote of the state legislature in 1881, the first courthouse (and everything else related to the business of the new county) was located in rented space in Stokes Hall, on the northeast corner of Corcoran and West Main St.

Per Wyatt Dixon, this was the John Wesley Umstead house, where Governor William B. Umstead grew up, in 1980. Dixon describes in his column: Dixon doesn't give an exact location (amazing how rarely people do) and I've been surprised at how difficult it has been to ascertain where the US Senator and Governor was born and raised. Based on deed...

In 1913, George Watts constructed the Beverly Apartments (Durham's first apartment building) on the eastern portion of his Watts Hospital site (at the corner of Watts and Main St, facing Watts St.) It's reported that it contained 10 5-room apartments. Revenue from the apartments evidently went to supplement the finances of Watts Hospital. Taken...

McPherson hospital, 1920s. For the first ~40 years of its existence, Durham made do without a hospital. This was not unusual, particularly for a town of Durham's size. Medical care, when available, was provided in the home by visiting physicians. Dr. Albert G. Carr, brother of Julian Carr became an early proponent for the construction of a hospital...