Mar 01, 1990
National Register of Historic Places - Richard D. Blacknall House
Statement of Significance: The Richard D. Blacknall House is architecturally significant as Durham's only identified extant nineteenth century brick residence and is unique as the city's sole surviving Queen Anne style residence rendered in brick. The handsome, newly restored two-story house, constructed c. 1889, exhibits characteristic features of the Queen Anne style including an asymmetrical composition; steeply pitched multi-gable roofline; decorative, scalloped shingles in the gable ends and the ornamental wall dormer; tall corbeled interior chimneys; tall double-hung sash windows with upper sash with a border of small square lights over a single sash; and a distinctive hip-roofed wraparound porch with turned posts, sawn spandrels and fretwork style porch balusters. The interior also survives intact and displays a side hall plan, stairway with robust square newel post, heart pine floors, plaster walls, fluted and grooved trim, and five coal-burning fireplaces with restrained mantelpieces. The house was constructed for Richard D. Blacknall, who was a member of a prominent early Durham family, a pharmacist and owner of Durham's earliest pharmacy, and an influential Presbyterian Church member and founder of the West Durham Presbyterian Mission Church (now Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church). The Blacknall House subsequently was associated with Erwin Cotton Mills (later Burlington Industries) which purchased the house in 1909 and leased it to a succession of supervisory personnel until 1965 when it was purchased by Duke University, also for rental purposes. The house, originally located at the corner of Erwin Road and Anderson Street, was vacant from 1978 until 1985 when, threatened by demolition for highway construction, it was moved two blocks southeast to a lot at 300 Alexander Avenue, a compatible new location identical in character to the original setting. The house was carefully restored in 1987-1988 and adapted for use as professional office space.
National Register of Historic Places - Richard D. Blacknall House
Statement of Significance: The Richard D. Blacknall House is architecturally significant as Durham's only identified extant nineteenth century brick residence and is unique as the city's sole surviving Queen Anne style residence rendered in brick. The handsome, newly restored two-story house, constructed c. 1889, exhibits characteristic features of the Queen Anne style including an asymmetrical composition; steeply pitched multi-gable roofline; decorative, scalloped shingles in the gable ends and the ornamental wall dormer; tall corbeled interior chimneys; tall double-hung sash windows with upper sash with a border of small square lights over a single sash; and a distinctive hip-roofed wraparound porch with turned posts, sawn spandrels and fretwork style porch balusters. The interior also survives intact and displays a side hall plan, stairway with robust square newel post, heart pine floors, plaster walls, fluted and grooved trim, and five coal-burning fireplaces with restrained mantelpieces. The house was constructed for Richard D. Blacknall, who was a member of a prominent early Durham family, a pharmacist and owner of Durham's earliest pharmacy, and an influential Presbyterian Church member and founder of the West Durham Presbyterian Mission Church (now Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church). The Blacknall House subsequently was associated with Erwin Cotton Mills (later Burlington Industries) which purchased the house in 1909 and leased it to a succession of supervisory personnel until 1965 when it was purchased by Duke University, also for rental purposes. The house, originally located at the corner of Erwin Road and Anderson Street, was vacant from 1978 until 1985 when, threatened by demolition for highway construction, it was moved two blocks southeast to a lot at 300 Alexander Avenue, a compatible new location identical in character to the original setting. The house was carefully restored in 1987-1988 and adapted for use as professional office space.
Mar 01, 1990
Posted Date
Aug 28, 2023
Historical Record Date
Mar 01, 1990
Source Name
National Register of Historic Places
