07/12/2019
This week's is from our building!
1️⃣ The John O'Daniel Exchange is over 100 years old! Built in 1917 (nope that's not our address on the top of our building 😆), it was originally a hosiery mill and quickly became a knitting mill.
2️⃣ Julian Carr owned this building originally, and he named it after his African American manager, John O'Daniel. John O'Daniel was one of the first African American property owners in Durham, and he later contributed to the building of St. Joseph's.
3️⃣ The John O'Daniel Exchange housed the Farmer's Exchange from 1930 to the mid-80s. Originally the Farmer's Exchange was a coop that was operated exclusively by women. We love it when we give tours to Durham natives who grew up buying fruits and vegetables here!
4️⃣ A few other businesses occupied our building until the late 1990s when a night club moved in...for a week. A mysterious fire burned part of the roof off, and it remained blighted and vacant until our owner, Wendy Clark, found it and renovated it in 2008.
🐂 We love being a part of Durham's history! What's your favorite tidbit of local history you wish everyone around you knew?
For more Durham history, check out The Bulls of Durham's excellent and never boring history of Durham book!