820 Wilkerson Ave
Durham, NC, USA

National Register of Historic Places - William Thomas O'Brien House

Statement of Significance:

The c. 1890 William Thomas O'Brien House is important both for its architecture as well as its historical associations. This intact and well- preserved two-story frame, late Victorian dwelling with its handsome, carefully detailed one-story wraparound porch and original embossed tin shingle roof is one of the oldest and most distinctive houses in Durham's early West End neighborhood. The house was owned and occupied by William T. O'Brien, a master mechanic for the Bonsack Cigarette Machine Company, and later for W. Duke Sons & Company. O'Brien moved to Durham in 1884 to oversee the installation of automatic cigarette rolling machines in the W. Duke Sons & Company tobacco factory. James B. Duke hired O'Brien, who succeeded in perfecting the machine, thus enabling the Dukes to increase cigarette production tremendously, lower prices to their customers and achieve dominance in the lucrative young industry. O'Brien was also instrumental in establishing the Roman Catholic Church in Durham.