Miscellaneous Durham

Enjoy browsing, but unless otherwise noted, these houses are private property and closed to the public -- so don't go tromping around uninvited.

1935 - The Gamble House, 1307 North Mangum Street, Durham.  Mrs. Gamble was the daughter of Richard Dillard, who built both this house and the one next door.  The architect was Paul Greene of Greene and Rogers.  His partner was W. Stuart Rogers.  The floor plan was unusual for its time: the kitchen was in the front of the house and public living areas at the back.  After construction, the house was featured in national magazines, including the 1939 American Homes. 

The house was sold to a doctor in the 1950's who imposed an unfortunate exterior renovation involving Permastone (second photo), which was later removed.  The house was abandoned in the 1970's.  Sold in 1977 to Gerard Tempest who restored it and the adjacent Dillard House. The Gamble House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.  Sold to his son and daughter in law, Husidio John Tempest and Anne Marie O'Donnell Tempest.  Went into foreclosure.  For sale in 2012.  Under contract. 

  Sources include The Durham Architectural and Historic Inventory 1982 by Claudia P. Roberts and Diane Lea.   Top photo from North Carolina Collection circa 1940.  Third and fourth photos from Endangered Durham.  Rest of photos from Stephen Brown. 

1938 - The Paull F. Baum Residence, 112 Pinecrest, Durham.  Designed by William Potter, husband of Baum's stepdaughter.  Featured in the October 1941 Architectural Record.  Sold in 1968 to James Bonk, who was still the owner as of 2008.  Top photo by Heather Wagner.

1938 - The E. J. Evans House, 1021 Dacian Avenue, Durham.  See the Evans family history here.   The engineer was Thomas C. Atwood.  The architect was Howard Raymond Weeks.  Their Durham firm was called Atwood and Weeks.  Atwood sold his share to Weeks in the late 40’s. The firm became H. R. Weeks and Associates until Weeks died in 1956.  His  employees carried as Harris and Pyne for the next several decades.  The house was sold to Modric K. and Evelyn Tew.

1950 - 1223 Vickers Avenue, Durham.  Designed by Marion A. Ham.  In association with primary architect Welton Becket, Ham designed the 1965 North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company in Durham, the city’s most distinctive modernist commercial building.   It won recognition as one of Forbes magazine’s ten outstanding buildings of 1966 and one of Fortune’s top ten of the decade.  Ham worked earlier at Edmund J. Austin in Southern Pines.   Sold to Kenneth Earl Glander.  Sold in 2001 to Leon Anthony Thomas.  Sold in 2004 to David E. and Juliette S. Cook.  Sold to new owners in June 2009. 

1954 - The John Bernard Pfeiffer, Jr. Residence, 3414 Rugby Road, Durham.  The son of architect John B. Pfeiffer of New York City, Pfeiffer originally asked his brother Richard in New York to design a new house in the Hope Valley area of Durham.  But John's wife Mary Louise had a different plan.  She recruited one of her local architect golfing buddies to do the plans, an act which caused a rift between brothers that never completely healed.  Her architect is unknown.  Renovated in 1959 by Pfeiffer's father's firm.  Sold in 1988 to current owners Raymond and Cynthia Joyner.  Photos by George Smart.

1954 - The Russell Robinson House, 115 Ashworth Drive, Durham.  Robinson was the original owner, designer, and builder.  He was from Virginia and built three homes; two different homes for himself, and one for his son.  Sold to Flora and Marvin Carver.  Sold in 1996 to their grandson, Rick Carver and his wife Tracey.  The house has 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, with 3200 sf.  Includes pool, hot tub, atrium, and additional rec room/workshop with 856 sf.  Sold in 2010 to Ken and Stephanie (Steff) Rowe.

1955 - The Jeanne Smith Whitesides Residence, 1506 Kent, Durham.  Jeanne Whitesides designed the house.  Cathedral ceiling in the kitchen.  Vaulted living room with Terrazzo floors, Jack and Jill bathrooms, and a secret closet behind the mirror at the end of the hall.  Sold to Allan P. and Lenore Sindler in 1959.  Sold to Sheldon and Evelyn Abelkop in 1967.  Sold to Mark and Nancy D. Handler in 1980.  Sold to E. Ruth Teague Lang in 1983.  Sold to Charles and Genevieve Cotter in 1985.  Sold in 1987 to Richard J. and Suzanne H. Wrazen.  Sold to 1991 Thomas D. and Nancy H. Brown.  Sold in 1995 to Jonathan Goldberg and Michael Moon.  Sold in 1998 to John Burness and Anne D. Williams.  Sold in 2000 to Anne D. Williams.  Photo by Heather Wagner. 

1955 - The Clyde and Eleanor H. Lloyd Residence, 126 Nelson Street, Durham.  3625 square feet.  Sold in 2004 to James and Edwina Hunter. According to Edwina Hunter, it was built from mail-order plans.  Currently a rental house. 

1956 - The Ruth Shaw Residence, 1210 Anderson Street, Durham. Architect unknown. 1566 square feet, three bedrooms.  Shaw did not recall the architect.  Sold in 2008 to Christel Greiner.

1956 - 2209 North Duke Street, Durham.  Architect unknown.  Sold to Ato Waters (formerly known as Nanabanyin Ato-Mansah) and Nana Adwowa Waters.  Sold in 1987 to Virgilio L. and Veronica D. Argumedes.  Sold in 1994 to Michael L. Jessup.  Sold in 2012 to Rebekah Bailey and Andrew D. Perno.

1957 - The Spencer and Rosemary Overton House, 1208 Anderson Street, Durham.  Architect unknown. Twin to the house at 1210 Anderson.  Sold in 1961 to James and Frances Barwick.  Sold in 1979 to James and Mary Kelley.  Sold in 1986 to John and Irene Need.  Sold in 2003 to Robert Letourneau and Russell E. Burns. 

1957 - The Gregory Adams Kimble Residence, 2513 Wrightwood Avenue, Durham.  According to their son, the Kimbles designed this house themselves.  Built by James (Jimmy) Heizer of Heizer Construction.  When the Kimbles moved to Colorado in 1968, they sold the house to Stanley Appel. Sold in 1977 to Bryan and Vicki Koon.

 

1958 - 118 Newell, Durham.  Architect unknown.  Sold to Charles H. and Helen G. Lewis, Jr.  Sold in 1985 to Bonnie Hood, owner as of 2012.

1959 - The David G. and Gail Bradley House, 2507 Sevier, Durham.  This is Plan X-50 by architect Rudolph A. Matern of Jamaica NY.  When Mrs. Bradley died, Mr. Bradley moved out and later remarried.  Was vacant for an extended time. Sold in 1985 to John and Sheryl A. Lubans. Renovation and addition in 1989.   Top photo by Heather Wagner.  Bottom photo from plan book.

1960 - The Stewart and Jane Alexander Jr. Residence, 40 Beverly Drive, Durham.  Alexander was a local car dealer with a showroom on Main Street.  The architect of this house is unknown. The house was built by Jane Alexander's brother from Tennessee. This ranch brick house has a 2-story center block, slab floor, a flat roof, a recessed entrance, and a 1-story left side wing.   Sold in 2000 to and renovated by  Douglas "Casey" Herbert and Kathleen Bennett.  Carrboro architect Giles Blunden designed replacement casement windows and a latticework brick wall that screens the original carport at the left side.  Photo by George Smart.

1961 - The Salih J. and Fawzia A. Wakil House, 2527 Sevier, Durham.  Architect unknown.  Sold to John B. and Rose Page Wilson in 1971.  Sold to Roy A. and Anne B. Griffiths in 1996.  Sold in 2009 to Ed and Cynthia Binanay.   Photo by Heather Wagner.

1961 - The Admiral Earle Residence, 2609 Sevier Street, Durham.  The Earles were the in-laws of Jon Condoret.  Designed by Balford Hackney, who worked for Archie Royal Davis.  Sold to Robert D. and Merry Rabb.  2931 square feet. 

1961 - The John and Genevieve Rudin House, 1640 Marion, Durham.  Designed and built by John Rudin. Rudin designed the house for passive solar and chose the lot for its southwest exposure. Framing by Robert Dykes.  HVAC by Frank Dadderio.  Sold in 1998 to Niall Hanley. Has a low voltage wiring system. For sale in 2011.

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1962 - The Walter and Myrtle A. Obrist House, 2604 McDowell Street, Durham.  Designed by the original owner.  Built by a man named Wallace, according to Walter Obrist.  Sold many times.  Addition in 1966.  Sold to Mahadev and Judit Apte.  Was a rental house.  Sold in 2011 to Kellie Berne Johnson and Laura Denise Miller.

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1963 - The John and Nancy Laszlo House, 5401 Couch Mountain Road, Durham. Located in Orange County with a Durham address. Originally a cabin built by George Birmingham. The Laszlo's continued to build the house in sections with two by Leon Register and one by Wade Williams/Blackwell.  Lucy Carol Davis did the last remodel/addition in the early 1990's.  Sold in 1991 to Robert D. and Gay Small. They added the garage.  Sold in 1997 to William Christmas.  Sold in 2004 to Joellen Mason.  Sold in 2011 to Sonya and Jeffrey Fischer. 

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1965 - The George W. Birmingham Jr. House, 2701 Ashley, Durham.  Designed and built by George Birmingham.  The house was in the Birmingham family since construction until sold in 2011 to Nelson R. Maldonado.

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1966 - The Russell N. and Maelee Barringer Residence, 1912 Wilshire, Durham.  Architect unknown by current owners.  Built by Teer Construction.  Sold to the City of Durham in 1984.  Sold in 1985 to Lester and Therese Fahrner.  Sold in 1985 to David M. and Gracie Welsh.  Sold in 1991 to Larry H. and Nancy M. Rocamora.  Photos by Heather Wagner. 

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1967 - The Helen Perry Residence, 3435 Rugby Road, Durham.  Built from a magazine plan chosen by Helen Perry, possibly from Better Homes and Gardens,  by Bill Chestnut.  Sold to Keith and Jill Kaye in 2000.  Sold to Sally and David Vasbinder in July 2006.  Renovations by Lee Tripi.

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1969 - The Horst and Ruth Mary Meyer Residence, 2716 Montgomery Street, Durham. This is Plan P-907 from the plan book Encyclopedia of Home Designs 1967 by Master Plan Service, Inc.  3000 square feet.  Sold in 2007 to Scott and Julie Hollenbeck.  Sold in 2010 to Jina Park and Alan Russell.

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1970 - The Yi and Ellen Kong House, 2814 Dekalb Street, Durham.  4000 sf.  This is Plan P-742 from the plan book Encyclopedia of Home Designs 1967 by Master Plan Service, Inc.  As of 2008, owned by the Kongs.

1977 - The Richard L. Cox and James O. May House, 2523 Sevier, Durham.  Architect unknown.  Sold in 2005 to Barbara R. Haight. Photo by Heather Wagner. 

1978 - The Gregory Adams Kimble Residence II, 3100 Cornwall Road, Durham.  When the Kimbles decided to come back from Colorado, they designed and lived in this their second area house until 2006 when both died. Transferred to their son Jeffrey Kimble and his wife Judith Kimble. Sold in 2011 to Lori McLean and Brian D. Chisholm.

1984 - The Richard and Elizabeth Schneider Residence, 9 Appleton Place, Durham.  Designed by Boston architect Robert Burkhart for his parents. Sold in 1998 to Lex and Kathy Silbiger.  The new owners found the design too modern and the plan was softened and beautifully renovated by Ramon Garcia.  For sale in 2012.

1984 - 3 Appleton Place, Durham.  Architect unknown.  Sold to Andrew G. and Barbara McGill.  Sat empty for four years.  Renovated by Ramon Garcia.  Sold in 2010 to Anne B. and Jack H. Rogers.  Photo by Heather Wagner. 

1985 - The Francie Seymour and Robert Entman House, 2920 Wade Road, Durham.  2332 sf.  Built and designed by Debbie Welch.  Sold in 1989 to Barry Poss.  Sold in 2000 to John G. and Stacey Reed Burkert.  Sold in 2003 to John Brock and Jane E. Kasper.  Extensively renovated in 2009.  Sold in May 2010 to Grendel Shelley Burrell. 

2004 - The Lex and Ann Alexander Residence, 4663 Mount Sinai Road, Durham. 
Designed by John Lindsey.

2005 - The Deb and George Christie Residence, 5212 Twin Pines Lane, Durham NC (located in Orange County).  Designed by Deb Christie with plans drawn by architect and builder John Hartley.   She wrote a book about the experience called Green House.  All of the siding was replaced in late 2011.

2008 - The Freeman Ledbetter House, aka The Ark, 1309 Martin Luther King Parkway, Durham.  Designed and built by Freeman Ledbetter.  Features passive solar design with structural insulated panels, masonry and bamboo floors, solar heated radiant floors, and a tankless water heater.  On the market 2009-2011.

2009 - The Joshua R. Olsen House, 116 Solterra Way, Durham.  Olsen built it as a spec house, although he did live there a short time.  Design/built by Bill Christopher and Matt Hosmer or ILM Design and Build of Wilmington.  Sold in May 2009 to Derek Cornish and Sally White.  Photos by ILM.

2013 - The Bob and Suzanne Thompson House, 5509 Pelham Road, Durham.  They purchased an old ranch and finding it unfixable, tore it mostly down.  A new house, designed by the owners, is yet to be built.