E.K. Powe Library Makeover

This is the first of a seven part series about the home of the Clarion Content, Durham, NC. To read old Durham posts click here and scroll down. To see photos of Durham houses click here and scroll down.

E.K. Powe, the elementary school nearest our offices, has some good news! It was one of only thirty-two schools nationwide to be awarded a complete library makeover by Target and The Heart of America Foundation. The school's library will be redesigned with eco-friendly building materials.

The remodel includes 2000 new books for the school's library collection, computers, new carpeting, and age-appropriate furniture to encourage curling up with a good book. Plus each student gets an additional seven books of their very own.

Hooray for, E.K. Powe. And thanks to the Watts-Hillandale neighborhood association newsletter, Parade for the heads up.



This photo is from the era when E.K. Powe was West Durham High School.



This is E.K. Powe elementary today.

2016 West Club Boulevard

From the Watts-Hillandale house tour



The house was originally built in 1920 and 1921. It was once owned by the Dean of Duke's Law School Charles Lowndes. Lowndes time at Duke overlapped with that of famous Duke law school graduate, Richard Nixon. The neighborhood legend has it that Nixon once slept at #2016 W. Club. The house is still being remodeled.

2310 West Club Boulevard

From the Watts-Hillandale house tour



This house was built in 1915. It is a classic one and a-half story, side gabled bungalow. The original owner was a local doctor, Dr. Baird Brooks. He was one of many doctors who originally settled in this neighborhood near Watts hospital (now the North Carolina School of Science and Math). Although he only lived there until 1921, he had the noted Durham architect, George Watts Carr, built him another recognizable Durham building, his medical offices. The apartments still at the corner of West Chapel Hill Street and Gregson Avenue were constructed for Dr. Brooks.

2215 West Club Boulevard

From the Watts-Hillandale house tour



The house was built in 1923 by the prolific Durham builder, John T. Sally. It is a Craftsman style brick bungalow. Sally built another Craftsman style house across the street at 2212, as well as simpler houses at numbers 2405, 2407, 2409, 2411, 2413 and 2415 Club. The original homeowners, the Tottens, lived in the house during the height of the Depression with nine other people, including five nurses from nearby Watts-Hospital. The house towers above the street and is a spacious 3000 square feet.

2422 West Club Boulevard

From the Watts-Hillandale house tour



The house was built in 1914. It is the oldest house on the street. It was originally built by a Southern lawyer, Sumpter Brawley and his wife, the civic activist, Margaret Brawley. He served in the North Carolina House of Representatives and the State Senate. She is credited with staging a sit-in outside the Durham City Manager's office until he agreed to plant hundreds of trees along Durham's streets. Between 1970 and 1998 the house was divided into in a multi-unit set-up, with many tenants and even a day-care. It has since been converted back. It features a huge backyard and five bedrooms.

2301 West Club Boulevard

From the Watts-Hillandale house tour



The house was built in 1924. It is a classical revival cottage. The first homeowner, Dillard C. Mitchell, Jr., was the bookkeeper for the Durham Lumber Company which was owned by his father. The master bath features an original commode with 1924 stamped into the lid. The garage, never used for automobiles, was moved to the property from another location in 1967. Side note, Club Boulevard used to be called E Street in this part of town.

1111 Iredell Street

From the Watts-Hillandale house tour



This house was built in 1922, in the Craftsman style. Iredell was known as 8th street until 1960. The original owner Andrew Dennis was also the owner of Dennis Grocery, which was started by his father. It was once located at 1110 Broad St. The house cost less than $2,000 to originally build. It has a beautiful back garden.