21 Main Street

This handsome bungalow stands on a tree-shaded half acre lot at the south end of Durham’s historic district, set back from the roadway.

• Record ID: 120
• Address: 21 Main Street
• Current Owner: Kowalski, Trustee, Walter E.
• Name of Building:
• Historic Name: Frederick H. Page House
• Download PDF of Original Record

Notable Features

This handsome bungalow stands on a picturesque cobblestone foundation. Constructed with a balloon frame, it is sheathed with wide blue-painted clapboards. Although surmounted by a
two-pitch gable roof, like many similar houses of the 1920s and 30s in Durham, the living space in the second story is expanded by full-length donners on the second story, which functionally transform the second floor into full-size living space. The house is fronted by a full-size sun porch with multi-paned picture windows on its first story facade. The dormers contain small 3×1 windows. The south side contains a 1 story, 3 sided rectangular bay. To the rear of the house stands a gable roofed 2 car garage contemporary with the main structure.

Historical or Architectural Importance

This is one of three houses at the southern end of Main Street associated with the William A. Parsons family. In 1913, Harold C. Parsons, the metal manufacturer, bought 2 1/2 acres from
Robert B. Meigs and Grace Amelia Camp. This land was located south of his own home at 31 Main Street. In 1921, he sold 1 1/6 acres to his brother-in-law, Frederick H. Page, husband
of his sister Gertrude. They built a house on the property shortly afterwards. In 1946, the Pages gave the property to their daughter and her husband, Catherine and Homer McNutt of
Philadelphia, who sold the property in 1971. With its unspoiled site, this bungalow is an excellent example of the homebuilding and landscaping of the post W:Jrld War I period.
Historically, it is an interesting example of Durham’s social conservatism, the tendency of families to cluster their residences as they had in the 18th and 19th centuries.