1971 - Ruth Little Stone

Ruth Little moved into a rental on East Street next door to Harvey Bumgardner in Oakwood in 1971. She and her husband purchased one of the Pullen houses on Elm Street in 1973. While there, Ruth worked in the State Preservation office and led the effort to have Oakwood listed as a National Register Historic District. She also developed Oakwood’s first walking tour.

I am a rescuer of historic architecture and I see that as part of my mission in life.  [Oakwood] was the place I needed to be. That was the frontier in Raleigh.

My mother was a collector of old things.  Every week she’d go down to all the secondhand stores and drag all this stuff home and it would all be broken down. I think my urge to restore and renew beautiful old things comes from that.  I think I’m completing her work only on a larger scale with.

I began work on having Oakwood designated a National Register Historic District, probably in 1972 and I believe it was designated in 1973 on the National Register. I remember asking my superiors [whether I could do it] and they said “Go ahead.”