St. Theresa Community History

Shortly after 1890, a project was launched by John B. Lenning of Philadelphia to connect Durham to Charlotte by railroad.  Although land was purchased by Mr. Lenning to construct terminals for the railroad, only a short portion was actually constructed in Chatham and Montgomery counties.  The failed railroad project prompted the sale of the land in 1917 to the New Hope Realty Company.  New Hope Realty hoped to design the largest real estate development of its time in Durham that included an African American Neighborhood component.  New Hope’s Developer, E.S. Draper of Charlotte, established 331 lots on the western side of the former Norfolk Southern Railroad (currently the Forest Hills neighborhood), and 115 lots between Pine (now S. Roxboro) and South Streets.  However, New Hope Realty Co. went bankrupt and was bought in 1922 by the First National Trust Company (founded in 1906 by B.N.Duke, president and J.B. Mason, Cashier), who reduced the entire project to 160 acres and developed the Pine/South street areas as an African American community.

In 1958 the Reverend Thomas M. McAvoy of the Immaculate Conception Church, 810 W. Chapel Hill Street, petitioned Monsignor George E. Lynch of the Chancery Office in Raleigh, for support in converting duplex housing on Fargo Street into a rectory and chapel.  Thus, the establishment of the St. Theresa of Avila Parish began to serve a growing catholic population and local community.  Later, in 1959 permission was also granted to use the St. Theresa convent house as a kindergarten and nursery.  St. Theresa of Avila also converted a second duplex on South Street to hold monthly communion breakfasts for catholic students of North Carolina College at Durham (now NCCU).  In 1961 Father Thomas Hadden was appointed to the St. Theresa of Avila Church and shortly thereafter requested and received funds from the Diocese to enlarge the chapel.  As early as 1968, under the direction of Father Joseph Woods St Theresa of Avila offered much needed space to Operation Breakthrough for adult/teenage programs.  After much debate, St Theresa of Avila Church was also instrumental in bringing a community park to Fargo Street.  However, on March 10, 1970, St Theresa of Avila was placed under the administration of the Immaculate Conception Parish in West Durham and reduced to mission status. 

The Southside/St. Theresa community remained a proud working class African American Community.  Many of its residents were employed with Durham’s major employers Liggett & Meyers, American Tobacco Company and Duke University Medical Center.  The community also boasted a number of artisans, craftsmen, and teachers.  Recognizing the importance of education, the community spawned two of the Durham’s most coveted educational institutions. Built on land that was the early 20^th century J.N. Umstead Tobacco Farm, Hillside High School was constructed in 1922.  Around 1950 due to overcrowding and a lack of available surrounding land for expansion, the Durham City School Board transferred the high school to the former J.A. Whitted School on Concord Street.  The Umstead Street building was renamed J.A. Whitted Elementary and later J.A. Whitted Junior High School.  The Southside/St Theresa community also remained close to the civil/human rights issues of the period.  In 1963 Malcolm X debated local attorney and civil rights activist Floyd McKissick Sr. on “The Future of the Negro”, at the Page Auditorium (1102 1⁄2 South Roxboro St.) over the Pine Street Taxi Stand. 

Although many residents moved as a result of increased opportunities, many remained to carry on the proud working class legacy of the Southside/St Theresa community.