After nearly ten years of pursuing the goal, a historic section of Greensboro has “cemented its legacy” by being entered into the National Register of Historic Places: Recently, the National Park Service listed the South Benbow Road Historic District in its national register.
According to City of Greensboro officials, the designation represents the first time that a historically black neighborhood in Greensboro has been entered.
A $40,000 National Parks Service African American Civil Rights grant – which aims “to preserve areas vital to the historic African American fight for equality” – helped fund the pursuit of the designation.
The National Register has been called “a roll call of the tangible reminders of the history of the United States.”
Greensboro’s South Benbow Road Historic District is close to two historically Black colleges and universities – NC A&T State University and Bennett College – and it is noted for its mid-century modern homes and churches that were designed by black architects and constructed by black builders.
The district was home to an impressive number of leaders and participants in the Civil Rights Movement, including Justice Henry Frye, Dr. Alvin Blount, and Kenneth Lee.
Mike Cowhig, a Greensboro community planner involved in the project, said the district truly deserved the recognition.
“This project is important because Greensboro’s African American history and heritage is underrepresented in the National Register of Historic Places,” Cowhig said this week.
During the approval process, district residents, along with City of Greensboro officials worked together to earn the designation. That lengthy and involved process included collecting oral histories, photographs, historic documents and other artifacts from district residents.
Several years ago, the City of Greensboro put out a call to residents to show city officials those types of documents and photos.
Under the new designation, property owners in the district will be able to take advantage of federal and state income tax credits for the rehabilitation of certified historic structures.
The South Benbow Road Historic District joins a dozen other districts in Greensboro that have received this designation.
Not all were built by black builders. Hiatt Homes Inc. by John Hiatt built many for A & T professors, lawyers .and doctors. Most of the contemporary houses and some colonial houses. He built many of the contemporary houses in Greensboro, including his own house on Friendly Avenue. The late 50’s and 60’s were when most of them were built. John Hiatt Jr.
Sigh. All this for tax credits?
Mr. Cowhig, please provide the names of the African American history and heritage in Greensboro that is underrepresented in the National Register of Historic Places based on the fact that they are African American as your comment suggests. The public would like to know. As an employee of the City of Greensboro, you should be held accountable for a generalized statement that suggests discrimination.
Oh , so we do know how to hold people accountable, don’t we? I wish it were so all the time and with everybody and with everything.
Let’s not be “sometimey”.
SteadyNow, your comment makes no sense. Try again.