In 1926, developer Henry Tinen Ireland purchased five lots on Hampton Street in the Westerwood neighborhood from developer A. K. Moore. He hired an established general contractor named William Wright Williams to erect one bungalow on each parcel for $5,000 per structure. Today, the ensemble of Craftsman-style houses remains a well-preserved streetscape in Westerwood, and one house is open during the Tour of Historic Homes & Gardens for a closer look!
Arthur Kirby Moore (1886-1965) was a native of Wayne County, a graduate of Guilford College, and an innovative real estate professional. His career was launched when he sold fifteen houses in his first year in the Fisher Park neighborhood. His success encouraged him to acquire an older and unsuccessful subdivision in 1919, which he rechristened as “Westerwood.”
Among the developers who acquired parcels of land from Moore was Henry Tinen Ireland (1894-1969). Ireland was a native of Alamance County, a sergeant during World War I, a farmer, and a hunter. He hired W. W. Williams (1867-1938), a native of Hot Springs AR, to construct the bungalows in January 1926. Williams came to Greensboro around 1923 from Hickory. Here, aside from houses, he was contractor for projects such as College Park Baptist Church and modifications to Morrison Hall at NCA&TSU.
Of the five bungalows, one was planned with brick veneer but built as wood, one as stucco, and three as frame construction. Though the floor plans for each house differ, moldings and trim features are consistent. These houses were possibly built using stock plans sold through a local material supplier that accommodated the 50-foot wide dimensions of each lot. The frame Strader bungalow at 1007 Hampton Street features a low side-gabled roof with wide overhanging eaves. The façade is dominated by a three-quarter width porch beneath a front facing gable supported by post on pier supports. An unusual trim feature includes the key-hole window and door trim. Interior treatments include formal living and dining spaces with generous sunlight.
The first occupants of this bungalow were Mary Annie Pennell Strader (1898-1986) and James Dewey Strader (1898-1979). The Straders, both Guilford County natives, were married in 1924 and Dewey was employed by the Southern Railway. With the onset of the Great depression in 1929, the Straders defaulted on their mortgage and moved into the home of Strader’s parents at 818 Walker Avenue.
The property was sold at public auction for cash at the east door of the Guilford County Courthouse in June 1929 and B. B. Vinson was the highest bidder at $5,430. Vinson was president of the United Bank & trust (formerly Greensboro Bank & Trust Company) and assigned the bid to the General Real Estate Company. The Strader Bungalow became an income property.
In November 1935, the house was advertised as a “6 room bungalow. Reconditioned like new. Modern. Steam heat and thoroughly modern. Completely redecorated. Good condition. Priced to sell. By December, houses for rent $40.” Another article in 1944 announced “J. R. Painter, Gibsonville section farmer, has bought as an investment the dwelling at 1007 Hampton street, formerly owned by H. A. Barnes. Painter has recently bought several investment properties here. This sale was handled by Sidney B. Allen and Locke Bell.” Today the house is owner-occupied and has enjoyed a series of previous homeowners who have made substantial investments in the Strader Bungalow.
Six vintage homes in the Westerwood neighborhood will open their doors to ticket holders during Preservation Greensboro Incorporated’s 13th annual Tour of Historic Homes & Gardens on May 20-21, 2023. The tour will highlight charming features of early nineteenth and twentieth century architecture, including Craftsman bungalows, and examples of Colonial Revival design.
Written by Benjamin Briggs
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