The city-dwellers that lived the Cannon Court enjoyed urban amenities within the heart of prestigious Fisher Park. Located at 828 North Elm Street, Cannon Court is representative of pre-war housing available to modest income households in Greensboro beginning in the early twentieth century. A selection of residential units are open for the Tour of Historic Homes! Cannon Court was constructed in 1926 by Tatum’s Inc, a corporation formed by B. B. Tatum, C. L. Stafford, and Ruth and W. C. Boren Jr. The building featured six different unit plans spread over three floors and ranged in size from single-room studio apartments to larger two-room units with two-and-a-half baths. All units enjoyed then-modern conveniences such as galley kitchens, tiled bathrooms, shared steam heat, and separate utility entrances. Construction standards for pre-war apartment buildings were very high, and units sport hardwood oak floors, French doors, and deep plaster crown moldings. Exterior design was simple, including brick details and a handsome tile cornice that was possibly produced by W. C. Boren Jr.’s own Pomona Terra Cotta Company.
The building is one of several multi-family buildings built in Greensboro during the 1920s at a time when the economy was strong and housing supply was low. The building was popular with single professionals, retirees, and young couples who relied on the convenience of the streetcar that stopped just outside the building. Early occupants included:
A3 - Mary and Vernon Vaughan, traveling salesman
A4 – Elizabeth and Thomas Dodge, salesman
B1 - F. W. Coldwell, clerk at the O.Henry Hotel
B6 - Helen and Edward Bunch, a traveling salesman
C2 - Bertha and Boyd Barker, salesman with Morrison-Neese Furniture Company
C5 - Mrs. Evelyn Skinner, buyer for Meyer’s Department Store
C6 - Mrs. Fanny Moody, buyer for Meyer’s Department Store
D2 - Ruth and Clifton Bayliss, salesman
D5 - Florence Alderman, widow
E1 - Mamie and Bruce Hodges, building manager for Pilot Life Insurance
E2 – Ruth and William C. Boren, Jr, Vice President of Pomona Terra Cotta Company
BE SURE TO LOOK FOR:
- Original white hexagonal floor tiles and subway wall tile in some bathrooms
- Oversized porcelain kitchen sink in unit A4
- Picture rails used to preserve original sanded plaster walls from picture hooks
- Glass doorknobs throughout units
- Original electrical outlets in dining room floors for waffle makers and toasters!
This site was featured on Preservation Greensboro's 2011 Tour of Historic Homes May 21 - 22 in the Fisher Park and Aycock Historic Districts.
When I had a glance of the building, it immediately reminded me of my college favorite building. It was the university where I always stayed there.
Posted by: Maureen Mcleod | January 16, 2013 at 11:46 AM
I'm not an architecture major or anything but, they should really preserved beautiful buildings. They are like a piece of art.
Posted by: Lula Fennell | February 01, 2013 at 07:56 AM