The forty-ninth in a series of posts highlighting buildings in East Wilson Historic District, a national historic district located in Wilson, North Carolina. As originally approved, the district encompasses 858 contributing buildings and two contributing structures in a historically African-American section of Wilson. (A significant number have since been lost.) The district was developed between about 1890 to 1940 and includes notable examples of Queen Anne, Bungalow/American Craftsman, and Shotgun-style architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

As described in the nomination form for the East Wilson Historic District: re 611 East Green Street, “ca. 1913; 2 stories; Hardy Tate house; Queen Anne house with cubic form and center roof gable; original wraparound porch has been modified; Tate was a brick mason;” and, re 615 East Green Street, “1915; 2 stories; William Hines house; Queen Anne house with hip-roofed central block and evidence of second story porch (now enclosed); Hines, like brother Walter, was a leading barber and property owner; contributing garage.”

Both 611 and 615 East Green Street have been demolished.

Robert C. Bainbridge and Kate Ohno’s Wilson, North Carolina: Historic Buildings Survey, originally published by the City of Wilson in 1980 and updated and republished in 2010 under the auspices of the Wilson County Genealogical Society, provides additional details about the houses:

“611 East Green Street. The most outstanding feature of this house, built c. 1900 is its magnificent polychrome slate roof. It also boasts a small central cross gable, typical of this period of construction. The porch was probably altered c. 1925 and the paired columns joined by delicate latticework were probably added at that time.”

In the 1908 Wilson city directory: Teachy James T, h 610 e Green. (The north side of Green was even-numbered until the early 1920s.)

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 610 Green, brickmason Hardey Tate, 50; wife Annie, 40; daughters Inez, 8, and Daisy, 6; and lodgers Rome Bagley, 44, railroad laborer, and John Boykin, 28, plasterer.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: bricklayer Hardy Tate, 70, daughters Inez, 17, and Daisy, 15. Also, renting for $20/month, were plumber and California native Henry Jones and his wife Jessie, 32. Tate owned the house free of mortgage, and it was valued at $8000.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: embalmer Columbus E. Artis, 55, and Georgia-born wife Ada D. Artis.

“William Hines House. 615 East Green Street. Built c. 1915 this simple two-story house is typical of Wilson residential architecture during the 1910’s and 1920’s. The box-like form of the house is enhanced by an elliptical stained glass window flanking the door and generous porch supported by square columns on rusticated stone plinths.”

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In the 1908 Wilson city directory: Barnes Caroline, laundress h 614 e Green. (Barnes’ house appears to have been an earlier building on this lot upon which William Hines built his house.) Barber Hines, whose shop was at 119 South Tarboro, lived next door at 612 East Green, the home of his mother and stepfather, Della and Dave Barnes.

In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County:  at 614 Green, barber William Hines, 35, wife Ethel, 25, Delores, 4, and William, 2.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: barber William Hines, 46, wife Ethel L., 36, and children Deloris L., 14, and William Jr., 11. The home was owned free of mortgage and valued at $10,000.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: barber shop operator William Hines, 56, wife Ethel L., 46, and children Dolores L., 24, a teacher, and William C., 21.

  1913 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson, showing 610/611 East Green and an empty lot (with outbuildings) at 614/615.

1922 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson, showing 611 and 615.