Orange County, North Carolina historic information cache

Orange County, North Carolina historic information cache - Occoneechee Farm

Occoneechee Farm

James Hogg was an early owner of the property near Hillsborough that became Occoneechee Farm, which he named Banks of the Eno and moved to in 1794. The 663-acre property was purchased by Julian S. Carr (whose family's main residence was at Somerset Villa in Durham) April 25, 1891, from Hogg descendent, James Hogg Norwood and his sister, Margaret, for $10,000. Carr's wife soon renamed the main house Poplar Hill, and it was remodeled by Jule K�rner. Carr purchased the farm when he donated his former farm, "Blackwood's Park" (the site of present-day Duke East Campus in Durham; its most popular feature was perhaps the horse racetrack), to Trinity College. The farm had its own railroad siding to the south of the highway, north of the railroad tracks.

In 1919, a tornado severly damaged several of the farm's structures, including two of the large barns; Poplar Hill was largely undamaged. The farm never recovered from the damage, and Carr's health and finances were in rapid decline, causing him to decide to sell his beloved farm. The farm was first advertised for sale by Carver Real Estate in the Durham Herald October 26, 1923, where it listed several outbuildings, including a large sheep barn, a large piggery with several breeding pens, a concrete-floored dairy barn with 56 stanchions, five poultry houses (capable of housing 1,500 chickens), and a three-story barn with a slate roof, oak floors, stalls for 36 horses, and a basement for mules. It was again advertised for sale by the Atlantic Coast Realty Company (of Winston-Salem) November 22, 1923. It was divided into several smaller farms, and was soon sold, shortly before Carr's death. It was later re-subdivided in 1925, and again (likely) in the 1950s, judging by the age of the houses in the neighborhood; it is now occupied by privately-owned houses, and the former farm's main drive is named Tuscarora Drive.

Carr's half-mile horse track near the Eno River on the property was expanded into the Occoneechee Speedway in 1947, and was one of the first NASCAR tracks in the country. The track site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Poplar Hill was moved to the other side of the Eno River (to the southern end of Cameron Street) by James Freeland in 1980. Freeland intended to turn it into a steak house/restaurant, but a group of Hillsborough residents were opposed to it and he ended up opening the "Occoneechee Steak House" on South Churton Street, across from Daniel Boone Village.

		Occoneechee Farm letterhead, 1890s

		The main gate entering Occoneechee Farm (which still exists on Tuscarora Drive and Highway 70 Business); view north

		The highway (now Highway 70 Business) through Occoneechee Farm, circa 1911; view east

		Occoneechee Farm, circa 1910; view northeast

		'Summer cottage and club house' postcard (colorized), circa 1920; view northeast

		'Summer cottage and club house' postcard, circa 1920; view northeast

		The farm's main houses, circa 1920; view northeast Photograph courtesy of the Durham County Library

		Carr family members on porch of main house (Poplar Hill), circa 1920; view north Photograph courtesy of the Durham County Library

		Barns and cattle, circa 1920 Photograph courtesy of Rufus Tucker Carr and the Durham County Library

		Occoneechee Farm scenes, 1896 From North Carolina and its Resources (State Board of Agriculture)

		Julian S. Carr (left) in field, circa 1920; view northeast Photograph courtesy of Rufus Tucker Carr and the Durham County Library

		Field and livestock, with Poplar Hill in background; view north Photograph courtesy of Rufus Tucker Carr and the Orange County Historical Museum

		Springhouse, circa 1900

		Occoneechee Farm workers, circa 1915 Photograph courtesy of Rufus Tucker Carr and the Durham County Library

		Occoneechee Farm workers (women and children), circa 1915 Photograph courtesy of Rufus Tucker Carr and the Durham County Library

		Excerpt of 1908 map of Hillsboro area by William Spoon (south is up), showing Occoneechee and the railroad siding

		Initial subdivision map excerpt from Nov 12, 1923 Map Showing Plan & Subdivision of the Occoneechee Farm situated near Hillsboro in Orange Co N.C. surveyed by S. M. Credle for the Atlanctic Coast Realty Co. (click to enlarge)

		Second subdivision map excerpt from November 1925 Map Showing Lot No. 5 of the Occoneechee Farm surveyed by S. M. Credle for the Durham Auction Inc. (click to enlarge)

		1938 aerial photograph excerpt of area (black and white line on bottom is present-day Highway 70 Business; also, racepath is shown upper right)

		News of Orange article excerpt from April 24, 1980, showing Poplar Hill being moved south to its current location (click to enlarge) Image courtesy of Rich Shaw

		The site of part of Occoneechee Farm today The north-south section of present-day Tuscarora Drive was the main drive for the farm. The red outline is the site of the main house, the blue outlines are the approximate sites of the main barns, and the yellow lines are the still-extant stone entrance. The open field(s) to the east (right) of the barn sites is currently being developed.



Sources: Evans McKinney, personal communication. Orange County Register of Deeds Office. Book 5; Page 2, 3 Plat Book A State Board of Agriculture. North Carolina and its Resources. M.I. & J.C. Stewart, Winston, 1896. Mike Troy, personal communication. Webb, Mena. Jule Carr: General without an Army. UNC Press, 1987. Wikipedia. Occoneechee Speedway. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occoneechee_Speedway.

[Last updated: 14 April 2010]

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