Hope Valley, Durham, North Carolina facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hope Valley Historic District
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Avon Rd., Chelsea Circle, Cornwall Rd., Devon Rd. Exeter Way, Littlewoods Ln., Norwich Way, Stratford Rd., Durham, North Carolina |
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| Area | 300 acres (120 ha) |
| Architect | Boyer, M.E., Jr.; Carr, George Watts; Keen, Charles Barton; Hackney and Knott; Sprinkle; Davis, Archie; et al. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival |
| MPS | Durham MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 09001105 |
| Added to NRHP | December 11, 2009 |
Hope Valley was the first big country club neighborhood in the suburbs of Durham. It was built around a large 18-hole golf course designed by Donald Ross. This special community started in 1925-1926, just before the stock market crash of 1929. It stayed a unique rural area until after World War II.
Hope Valley was located between Durham and Chapel Hill. It was also near the university campuses of Duke and UNC Chapel Hill. This neighborhood was one of the first in North Carolina designed for cars. It was far from city bus routes. In 2009, Hope Valley was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It is known as the Hope Valley Historic District.
At the center of Hope Valley is the Hope Valley Country Club Clubhouse. It was designed by Aymar Embury II. Even though it has been changed a lot over the years, its front still looks the same. Hope Valley, as a neighborhood and country club, will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2026 and 2027.
Hope Valley: A Historic Place
The Hope Valley Historic District includes 80 important buildings. It also has one special site and two objects. This area is mostly a fancy neighborhood in Durham. The buildings were put up between 1927 and 1959. They show off styles like Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival.
The most important part of the district is the country club and its golf course. Two houses in the district are also listed on their own. These are the John C. and Binford Carr House and the Wiley and Elizabeth Forbus House.
How Hope Valley Started
Hope Valley was first developed by Jesse Mebane and Walter Sharpe. They were from Greensboro and Burlington, North Carolina. Early people who invested in the project included local residents. The Richardson Family from Greensboro also invested. They later took over the development. They renamed the company Hope Valley, Inc.
Three talented people worked together to create Hope Valley. Donald Ross designed the 18-hole golf course. Aymar Embury II designed the Country Club Clubhouse. Robert Cridland planned the roads and the landscape. This was a rare team effort.
The Country Club Today
The Hope Valley Country Club (HVCC) golf course has been updated. It had a big renovation to its greens. The club has taken good care of this Donald Ross-designed course for over 80 years. The first golf professional was Marshall Crichton. A member of his family has worked there ever since.
In 2013, HVCC also finished updating its swimming pools. The club has a busy tennis program all year. It has seven clay courts, two hard courts, and four pickleball courts.
Changes in the Neighborhood
The Hope Valley neighborhood is seeing some changes. When people move or retire, they sometimes sell their extra land or older homes. Some older houses have even been torn down to build new ones. Homes of important Durham leaders have been replaced. These include houses belonging to Russell Barringer and Frank Kenan.
The Hubert Teer House is a famous home from 1932. Mr. Teer built a tiny model of it on the property. It was a playhouse for his daughter. His daughter and her husband carefully fixed up the house before 2002.
Hope Valley is often called "Old Hope Valley." It doesn't have many new homes. Most houses are on very large lots. Some lots are as big as four acres. This is much bigger than lots in newer areas nearby. These newer areas include "New Hope Valley" and Hope Valley Farms. Many parts of Hope Valley have thick woods. You can find deer, foxes, and different types of owls there. Hope Valley is close to Chapel Hill and Research Triangle Park. It's also easy to get to Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Notable People of Hope Valley
Many interesting people have lived in Hope Valley or been members of its country club. Here are a few:
- Vernetta Alston, a politician and lawyer.
- Bill Bishop, a real estate developer.
- Victor Dzau, a scientist and former leader of Duke Medical Center.
- Douglas Knight, a scholar and former head of Duke University.
- Mena Webb, a journalist and writer.
- Frank Kenan, a businessman and giver to charity.
- Thom Mount, a movie executive who worked on films like "Bull Durham."
- Wilbert Davison, the first Dean of Duke Medical School. He helped shape Duke Health.
- Nello Teer Jr., an executive at Nello Teer Construction.
- Eddie Cameron, a famous coach and athletic director at Duke University.
