East Street

210 North East Street.

The one hundred ninetieth 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; 1 story; four-room square cottage with inset porch and bungalow type details; #s 210-200 are said to have been built as rental property by white speculator Leslie Farmer.”

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In the 1941 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Robinson Lonnie (c; Mary; 5) delmn M System Store h 210 N East

In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Robinson Lonnie (c; Mary) driver C Woodard Co h 210 N East

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 210 North East, Lonnie Robinson, 40, truck driver-local wholesale grocery company; wife Mary L., 38, beautician; and children Helen R., 20, cleaning house, Walter M., 14, Kathrine C., 12, and Hosea I., 9; and granddaughter Diann, 1.

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, December 2023.

112 North East Street.

The one hundred eighty-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: “ca. 1930; 1 story; saddlebag house with rear shed extension and hip-roofed porch; late example of the type.” The house was recently renovated.

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 112 East, rented at $12/month, widow Addie Ward, 37, and children Alfonso, 22, Edgear, 17, Otheara, 16, Jasper, 14, and Thelma, 10.

In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Ward Addie (c) h 112 N East; also, Ward Alfonso (c) hlpr 112 N East

In the 1941 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Dunn Annie (c) cook h 112 N East

Lillie B. Dunn died 10 April 1941 at Mercy Hospital, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 36 years old; was born in Kinston, N.C., to Richard Dunn of Snow Hill, N.C., and Annie Gardner of Kinston, N.C.; lived on Spruce Street; was the widow of Raymond Ried; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery [probably Vick]. Annie Dunn, 112 East Street, was informant.

In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Dunn Annie (c) h 112 N East

Annie Dunn died 27 May 1948 at her home at 112 North East Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 25 June 1884 in Lenoir County, N.C., to Quincey Gardner and Mariah Bryant; was the widow of Richard Dunn; and was buried in Rest Haven Cemetery. Quincey Gardner, 708 Suggs Street, was informant.

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, December 2023.

Start now; be a homeowner.

Wilson Daily Times, 3 March 1920.

The blocks now covered by North East Street and the 900 blocks of Carolina and Washington Streets were once a farm owned by Sallie Lipscombe. In 1920, the farm was subdivided into lots that were offered to African-American buyers wanting to live “in the best colored residential section of Wilson.”

Lipscomb’s property at East Street.

Plat Book 3, page 67, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office.

Another section of Sallie B. Lipscomb’s property was surveyed, subdivided, and platted in December 1934. Though the name Lipscombe Alley was abandoned in favor of Narrow Way (and later Narroway Street), the layout is readily recognizable today.

Aerial image courtesy of Google Maps.

300 North East Street.

The one hundred-fiftieth 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, this building is: “ca. 1945; 1 1/2 stories; brick-veneered clipped-gable dwelling.”

In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Holley Clarence (c; Elma C) bellmn Cherry Hotel h 300 N East. Also: Holley Elma C Mrs (c) Elma’s Beauty Shop h 300 E Nash

Clarence Holley died 4 May 1964 at Mercy Hospital. Per his death certificate, he was born 23 May 1919 in Bertie County to William Holley and Molly Smallwood; operated a shoeshine parlor; and lived at 300 North East Street. Informant was Elma Holley.

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, January 2022.

202 North East Street.

The one hundred-forty-seventh 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, this building is: “ca. 1930; 1 story; double shotgun with gable-end form and engaged porch.”

In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Bullock Richd (c; Eva) gdnr h 202 N East. Also: Bullock Richd jr (c) h 202 N East

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 202 East Street, rented at $13/month, gardener Richard Bullock, 48; wife Eva, 25, cook; and [his] children Richard, 20, Moses, 16, George, 14, and Hellen Bullock, 13.

In the 1941 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Ward Addie (c) cook h 202 N East. Also, Ward Elmer (c; 1) 202 N East.

In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Monroe Eug (c; Annie M) tob wkr h 202 N East.

Eugene Monroe died 1 January 1953 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 10 March 1900 in Sumpter, South Carolina, to Ida White; was a tobacco factory worker; was married; and lived at 202 North East Street. Annie Mae Monroe was informant.

Annie Mae Monroe died 1 March 1960 at her home at 202 North East Street. Per her death certificate, she was born 5 September 1912 in Wilson County to Joseph Z. Taylor and Martha Ellis; was a widow; worked as a presser for Service Laundry; and lived at 202 North East Street. Mrs. Ossie Mae Barnes, 202 North East Street, was informant.

In early 1967, R.E. Townsend & Company Real Estate applied for a permit to renovate 202 North East Street. Property managers and sellers since 1898, Townsend once controlled scores of rental properties in East Wilson. Wilson Daily Times, 2 June 1967.

Ossie Taylor Barnes died 12 February 1970 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 4 July 1908 in Wilson County to Joseph Taylor and Martha [maiden name unknown]; resided at Dew’s Rest Home, with permanent address at 202 North East Street; and was a widow. Mrs. Ida Edmundson, 711 Suggs Street, was informant.

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, January 2022.

The corner of Wiggins and East Streets.

In 1920, an auction house commissioned the survey of part of a city block in East Wilson owned by E.S. Taylor. The parcel contained seven narrow lots, four of which already held endway (“shotgun”) houses. A three-foot alley spanned the rears of lots 3 through 7 offering access to the row of shared toilets at the back of lots 1 and 2.

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Here is the block in the 1922 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson, turned about 90 degrees to the right.

As noted elsewhere, there is no longer a Wiggins Street in Wilson. It was obliterated as part of the construction of Carl B. Renfro Bridge and the extension of Hines Street (which runs along the old course of Wiggins) to meet East Nash Street.

None of the houses shown in the Sanborn map now exist. And none of the houses shown in the Google Maps aerial view existed in 1922.

113, 115 and 117 North East Street.

The one hundred-twentieth 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, the houses at #113, #115, #117 are: “ca. 1908; 1 story; shotgun with board-and-batten veneer.” The board-and-batten has been replaced with clapboard.

The 1913 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson shows that there were originally six endway houses (with two different floor plans) on this stretch of North East Street. Street numbering changed about 1922, so the houses above were originally #114, #116 and #118.

In the 1928 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Ward Ussell (c; Nettie) lab h 113 N East; 115 N East Vacant; Cooper Jack C (c; Nora) lab  h 117 N East

In the 1930 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Bethea Mamie (c) smstrs h 113 N East; Hargrove Andrew (c; Ada) lab h 115 N East; Artis Amelia (c) factory hand  h 117 N East

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 113 North East, paying $6/month rent, Mamie Bathea, 40, laundress; Pattie Manual, 60, mother, laundress; George Kannan, 30, brother, taxi chauffuer; Pearl Manual, 20, nurse for private family; daughters Ruth S., 14, Sally S., 12, and Adel Manual, 10; cousins Louisa, 10, and Ralph Kannan, 8; and daughter Mamie Manual, 4.

In the 1941 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Bethea Mamie (c) smstrs h113 N East; Bowman Rufus (c; Daisy) tob wkr h115 N East; Hines Boyd (c; Betty) tob wkr h117 N East

In the 1947 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Bethea Annie (c) h 113 N East; Grimes Fagin (c; Addie) lab h 115 N East; Williams Rematha Mrs (c) h 117 N East

Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, August 2019.

200 North East Street.

The eighty-sixth 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, this house is: “circa 1930; 1 story; four-room square cottage with inset porch and bungalow type details.”

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 200 East, renting at $12/month, Henriata Woodard, 40, and daughter Mattie, 24, both laundresses.

Henretta Woodard died 4 June 1935 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was 47 years old; the widow of John Woodard; resided at 200 North East Street; and was born in Wilson County to Washington Cox of Faison, N.C., and Julia Ann Cane of Wayne County, N.C. Informant was Eddie H. Cox, 625 East Green Street.

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 200 East Street, renting at $6/month, William Fields, 40, laborer at Wilson Veneering, and wife Liza, 40, tobacco factory stemmer; and, also renting for $6/month, tobacco factory stemmer Mattie Woodard, 35, and her children Margaret, 18, and Eugene Ward, 17, retail grocery delivery boy.

In the 1941 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Woodard Mattie (c) tob wkr h 200 N East

In the 1947 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Fields Wm H (c) lab Wilson Veneer h 200 N East

Photograph by Lisa Y. Henderson, October 2018.

 

102 North East Street.

The thirteenth 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. 1913; 2 stories; Queen Anne house with L-plan and cross-gable roof; intact turned-post porch.”

The history of occupancy of this shabby gem is spotty. Though the house’s year of construction is estimated at 1913, the house does not appear on the 1922 Sanborn insurance map of Wilson unless the house at 901 East Nash was moved and reoriented to face East Street at the red X. The plan of the house at 901 closely resembles that of 102 North East.

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Laborer Rufus Hilliard* and his wife Pennie are listed at 102 North East Street in the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory. However, in 1940, when Roosevelt Leech [Leach] registered for the World War II draft, he listed his address as 102 North East Street. He also indicated that he was born 25 May 1913 in Johnston County; was married to Hattie Leech; and worked as a cook in his own cafe at 512 East Nash Street.  He signed the card with an X. The 1941 city directory also shows Leach at the address. In 1942, when George Lee Williams registered for the draft, he named Hattie Leach of 109 [sic] North East Street as his nearest relative. Williams was born in Goldsboro on 10 March 1924 and worked for Draper Brothers in Frederica, Delaware. Roosevelt Leach died 30 October 1943 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he lived at 102 North East Street, was married to Hattie Leach, worked as a cook, and was born in Johnston County to Colman Leach and Mary Hall. In 1945, Robert Earl Williams, presumably George’s brother, named Hattie Leach, 102 North East Street, as his guardian on his draft registration card. He indicated that he had been in Wayne County on 11 August 1927 and worked as a laborer.

Sarah Sauls died 3 October 1961 in Wilson at her home at 102 North East Street. Per her death certificate, she was born 12 May 1888 in Greene County to Patric Sauls and Ada Thomas and was buried in the family cemetery in Black Creek. Bessie Sauls of 102 North East Street was informant.

In the 1963 Hill’s city directory, Hattie E. Lee is listed at 102 North East.

*The National Register nomination form describes 903 East Nash Street, just around the corner from 102 North East, as the Rufus Hilliard house and notes that Hilliard operated a store at 901 East Nash [the People’s Palace, built about 1940 and destroyed since the district was registered] and speculated in local real estate. Such real estate included 104 North East Street, built circa 1930.

Photograph taken by Lisa Y. Henderson, February 2017.