To me, the evolution of Durham started with John Ruffin Green and his cured bright leaf tobacco that placed Durham on the map. Malbourne Angier, a store owner, and a passionate citizen of our city made a huge impact on expanding Durham beyond the few store fronts on Main Street. And then there is W.Continue reading “Durham History Told from the Grave”
Tag Archives: Durham North Carolina
Durham in Lights
The year is 1913, and Richard Harvey Wright and Julian Carr have acquired a fifty year franchise to provide the city with electric lights and power to run the streetcars. Durham Traction Company has finally begun to see a surge in ridership and now with the license to provide power to the city, they decideContinue reading “Durham in Lights”
Hidden Women
Where did their stories go? As I have studied the men that were known to be the founding fathers of Durham, I began to wonder about the women that loomed in the shadows. We live in a different time where women can shine brightly, but in the late 1800’s, women in Durham were only knownContinue reading “Hidden Women”
1893 in Durham
The year is 1893 in Durham, North Carolina. Julian Shakespeare Carr is the president of the William T. Blackwell Company. This company, with its playful bull painted on the sides of buildings all over the United States, has dominated the industry since the early 1870’s. But there is shift in the winds. Just across theContinue reading “1893 in Durham”
The Bull
I know that many of us, me included, assumed the bull was the trademark of the American Tobacco Company. But for those who think this way, they are as far from the truth as you can get. James Buchanan Duke, the president of the W. Duke Sons and Company, (later to become the American TobaccoContinue reading “The Bull”
The Events of 1901
Yesterday, I spent time going through box twenty-three of the four hundred boxes in my great uncle’s archives. The box was a treasure trove of documents that clearly defined what Uncle Richard was doing in January and February of 1901. If Uncle Richard wasn’t discussing the purchase of tobacco through his Gorman Wright Leaf TobaccoContinue reading “The Events of 1901”
The Complexities of a Man
A few years ago, Julian Shakespeare Carr was at the forefront of the Silent Sam controversy in Chapel Hill. If you do any research, what Julian shared as he was presenting this monument to the University of North Carolina will alarm you. My intention is not to defend him or his actions, but to enlightenContinue reading “The Complexities of a Man”
A Man With No Excuses
What will our future generations have to say about us? Or maybe the question should be, what incredible feats can we say we have accomplished in our lifetime? Richard Harvey Wright lived in a time where good medical care was practically nonexistent and travel was very difficult. But even so, Richard didn’t allow the lossContinue reading “A Man With No Excuses”
In Quest of the Man
As I stand in the mausoleum, reading the names of my ancestors, a bit of nostalgia flushes over me. A feeling of when I realized that I am a part of an incredible history. Each name etched upon the white marble has a story, but of them all, Richard Harvey Wright’s story screams the loudest. Continue reading “In Quest of the Man”
Discovering the Hidden Treasures of Durham, North Carolina
Okay, I know you are wondering why I have a picture of a mausoleum as my first treasure. Well, to be honest, this was where my treasure hunt began and it makes sense it should be the springboard for the blogs I plan to write about this incredible city. If you look closely, you willContinue reading “Discovering the Hidden Treasures of Durham, North Carolina”