The two hundred-eighth 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: “ca. 1930; 2 stories; gable-end apartment house with engaged porch; built by Barney Reid particularly to house teachers.”
However, in 1928, Bessie Wingate Matthews and her children lived in the house:
Wilson, N.C., city directory (1928).
And on 22 July 1930, the Daily Times listed Eddie Wingate as delinquent for 1929 property taxes on the house:
In the 1930 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Matthews Bessie (c) lndrs 1001 Washington
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1001 Washington, widow Bessie Matthews, 38, laundress; daughter Lula McNair, 23, and grandson Alton McNair, 7; daughter Edith Brooks, 18, and grandchildren Lucile, 9, Johnny, 5, and James Brooks, 2; and lodgers James, 26, oil mill laborer, and Harvey Craddle, 32, tobacco factory packer; James Floyd, 19, building painter; Walter Thomas, 32, barber; Essie Brooks, 29, tobacco factory stemmer; and Eddie McNair, 25, tobacco factory packer.
In the 1947 Wilson, N.C., city directory: James Herman (c; Mildred K) lab Hackney Wagon h 1001 Washington
In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1001 Washington, downstairs, Herman James, 43, shop foreman at body company; wife Mildred, 41; children Willie, 20, Herman Jr., 19, Delores, 16, Alma, 12, Hilton, 11, Waddell, 10, Clyde, 8, and Mildred, infant; and mother Lucy Knight, 69, widow; and upstairs, Tom Speight, 37, making tobacco barrels, and wife Emma, 26, cook.
In 1968, N.E. Darden applied for permits to make repairs to 1001 Washington and 300 North Vick (Barney Reid’s former home).
Wilson Daily Times, 27 September 1968.
Wilson Daily Times, 21 February 1981.
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, August 2026.