Durham Urban Renewal records

Collection

Identifier: NCC-0068

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection is comprised largely of property appraisal forms completed as part of the City of Durham’s plans to redevelop the Hayti-Elizabeth St. area and the downtown business district. Appraisals often include photographs and architectural sketches of the properties. A series of loose photographs, most organized by street name, document the architecture of these areas. The collection also includes seven reel-to-reel audio tapes of meetings between the Durham Redevelopment Commission and residents of affected neighborhoods, city councilmembers, and county commissioners and several scrapbooks of collected newspaper clippings on the urban renewal projects.

Dates

1964-1976, undated

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.

Biographical / Historical

Created in 1958, the Durham Redevelopment Commission oversaw seven projects of urban renewal aimed at combating “urban blight” in Durham’s downtown and Hayti-Elizabeth Street areas. Projects 1-6, not including the project to revitalize Durham’s downtown business district, affected a primarily residential area of some 9,100 people, or 11.7% of Durham’s population at the time. Beginning in 1961 and initially scheduled for completion within ten years, the full slate of projects was never finished.

Extent

8.5 Linear Feet ((24 archival boxes, 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is arranved into the following series: 1. Property Appraisals; 2. Reports and Brochures; 3. Photographs; 4. Slides; and 5. Audio Recordings.