Revolving Fund and Major Projects
207 Linden Avenue - Saved from demoliton and moved into Oakwood
225 Linden Avenue - Non-traditional financing provided for restoration.
200 Elm Street - Burned down home purchased and lot resold for new construction.
217 Linden Avenue - Purchased and renovated by the SPHO
516 E. Jones Street - Saved from demolition with non-traditional financing for restoration. CLICK HERE for the fire restoration photo gallery.
Habitat for Humanity House sponsored in part by the SPHO built on Oakwood Avenue in 2018.
Oakwood timeline
1788 to 1916 |
At the time of the Civil War, what is now Oakwood was the northeastern outskirts of the small town of Raleigh. It was woods and fields, and became a campground for Sherman’s Union troops in April of 1865. In the 1870s and 1880s, Oakwood’s development began. By the 1890s, Oakwood was a fashionable suburb, with horse-drawn streetcars leading downtown. In the early 20th century, Oakwood reached its apogee, with streets paved in “Belgian blocks." Streetcars and streetlights were electrified. |
1916 |
The brick Murphey School building is built. |
1934 |
The streetcar system is shut down and bus service begins. |
1937 |
Krispy Kreme opens a doughnut bakery at 304 Pace Street. |
1945 |
After World War II, the automobile allowed for more suburban-style development, and Oakwood became downright unfashionable. Most of the wealthier families moved out, and their old houses were made into apartments or rooming houses. Dilapidation set in. |
1950 |
The Oakwood Garden Club is organized with 15 charter members. This is the first documented use of "Oakwood" as the name of the neighborhood. |
1960 |
The Murphey School becomes the first racially integrated school in Raleigh, when William Campbell enrolls as its first black student. |
1965 |
The State Capital Planning Commission adopts a plan proposing a north-south expressway running between Bloodworth and East Streets. It notes the State Highway Commission and the City of Raleigh are undertaking a major transportation study. In addition to the highway, the plan proposes lakes and park-like grounds near the Legislative Building and Governor's Mansion. |
1969 |
The Murphey School closes due to low enrollment. |
1971 |
The North Carolina Medical Society builds its new headquarters at 222 N. Person Street, after demolishing three historic houses on the site. Five more historic houses are eventually demolished to accommodate a parking lot and side yard. |
October 5, 1972 |
The City of Raleigh announces a plan for a North-South Expressway, which would obliterate Oakwood between East and Bloodworth Streets. This road is part of Raleigh's Thoroughfare Plan, which had been adopted in 1967. |
October 19, 1972 |
The first Oakwood neighborhood meeting is held at the Emmanuel Pentecostal Holiness Church on Polk Street. A petition stating opposition to the expressway had been circulated and 1034 signatures were obtained. A committee is appointed to develop articles of incorporation and bylaws. |
October 26, 1972 |
A nominating committee is appointed to recommend a slate of officers. |
November 1, 1972 |
The Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood (SPHO) is incorporated. |
November 11, 1972 |
With 80 people in attendance, officers and directors of the SPHO are elected. |
November 20, 1972 |
Raleigh City Council approves the revitalization plan minus the North-South Expressway; this does not kill the expressway plan, but gives Oakwood a temporary reprieve. |
December 15, 1972 |
The first Oakwood Candlelight Tour is held. |
April 13, 1973 |
Meredith College presents the Oakwood Project, featuring interviews with older Oakwood residents and case studies of blocks of Oakwood homes. |
June 3, 1974 |
Oakwood is designated a National Register Historic District. The original district extends south to the rear of the properties on the south side of E. Jones Street, north to the rear of the properties on the north side of N. Boundary Street, east to the center of Linden Avenue and Oakwood Cemetery, inclusive, and west to the center of N. Person Street, plus 401 and 403 N. Person Street. |
June 4, 1974 |
Raleigh City Council votes unanimously against the North-South Expressway, although it remains in the Raleigh Thoroughfare Plan for two more years. |
May 1975 |
Garland Tucker donates The Tucker House to the City, and it is moved from 420 N. Blount Street to 418 N. Person Street to avoid demolition by the State for a parking lot. It is to be used as an Oakwood-Mordecai meeting house. |
June 3, 1975 |
The Raleigh City Council designates Oakwood as the first Raleigh local historic district. |
Late 1975 |
The State announces it will not tear down any more houses on N. Blount and N. Person Streets, until a plan is in place. |
1976 |
The Oakwood Garden Club establishes a park at the corner of Oakwood Avenue and Linden Avenue, which would later be named Vallie Henderson Park. |
October 1979 |
Raleigh, represented by Ira Botvinick, won ASP Associates v. Raleigh, which upheld the historic district ordinance. This is an extremely important case to historic districts across North Carolina. |
February 1981 |
The SPHO embarks on its first "revolving fund" project, purchasing and renovating 217 Linden Avenue. |
June 1984 |
The Oakwood Inn opens at 411 N. Bloodworth Street. It had been purchased, renovated and furnished by a group of Oakwood neighbors. |
October 1984 - June 1985 |
The SPHO teamed with the owners of the then dilapidated 411 Elm Street to market the property for sale and protect it from demolition. |
July 1984 - February 1986 |
The SPHO purchased the burned property at 200 Elm Street and resold the property to a developer to build a new home on the lot. |
August 1986 - April 1987 |
A short term loan was provided by the SPHO to renovate 225 Linden Avenue until the property was renovated and qualified for traditional bank financing. |
October 11, 1987 |
The Oakwood National Register Historic District is expanded to include properties on the east side of Linden Avenue. |
November 4, 1987 |
The Oakwood National Register Historic District is expanded southward as far as the properties on the south side of E. Morgan Street (now Morson Street), between Person and East Streets. |
May 2, 1988 |
The Oakwood National Register Historic District is expanded northward as far as properties on both sides of E. Franklin Street, west to properties on west side of N. Bloodworth Street almost as far as Sasser Street, and east to Watauga Street. |
November 6, 1990 |
The SPHO purchases the lot at the corner of N. East and N. Boundary Streets, and begins the creation of a city park, The Oakwood Common, which is dedicated in 1993. |
June - December 1993 |
The rooming house at 111 N. Bloodworth Street was purchased by the SPHO. Minor modifications were made the home to make it more marketable as a single family home. The property was listed and sold in six months at the price the SPHO paid for the property. |
October 1995 - February 1997 |
218 Elm Street was purchased by the SPHO and resold at a small loss with the covenant that the home, which was divided into 4 small apartments, be reverted back to a single family home by the purchaser. |
August 1999 - July 2000 |
216 N. Bloodworth Street was in great disrepair and divided into multiple apartments. The SPHO purchased the property and immediately resold at a small loss to a developer for renovation with the covenant that the property be converted back to single family and that the SPHO would have to approve any exterior changes. |
August 2006 - April 2008 |
The SPHO partnered with Prado Construction to move the house at 620 N. Boylan Avenue, which was slated for demolition. The home was moved to a lot at 207 Linden Avenue which had been the extended back yard of 547 E. Jones St.. Prado renovated the house and the house sold for slightly more than the cost of acquisition, moving and renovation. |
August 2012 - June 2014 |
516 E. Jones Street suffered a catastrophic fire on April 18, 2012. The insurance on the property would not have covered the cost of restoration, only demolition and rebuild (which was cheaper). To save the second oldest house in Oakwood, the SPHO made a loan to help cover the owner's cost of full restoration. Once renovations were complete, the loan was repaid when the home qualified for traditional bank financing. |
2018 |
The SPHO was a major supporter of a Habitat for Humanity house built in the 900 Block of Oakwood Avenue. |
2018 - 2021 |
The house at 415 N. Person Street was allowed to deteriorate after being moved to the lot by the State of North Carolina during the Blount Street Redevelopment Project started in 2011. The property was purchased from the State and slated for repair and renovation but did not qualify for bank construction financing because of its poor condtion. The SPHO provided construction loan financing to aide in the restoration of this historic home. |
2021 |
The SPHO provided funding for roof, facia and gutter repairs to the nonprofit owned New Bern House at 501 New Bern Avenue to help stabilize the structure from further damage. |