1607 Washington Avenue
Built 1959-1960 for G.H. and Carrie Hart. Mrs. Hart taught at the rural Woodland School, a four-teacher school on Moore’s Chapel Road west of the city, which later became Pawtucket Elementary.
The 1959 building permit was taken out in the name of “Mrs. Carrie Hart and husband” — somewhat unusual in America in the 1950s, but not rare in McCrorey Heights. When the couple took out another permit in 1962 to add a utility room at the rear of the house, it was in the name of “G.H. Hart.” No further information has yet been located about Mr. Hart.
On November 24, 1967 the Charlotte Observer carried a death notice for “Mrs. Roberta M. Alexander of 1607 Washington Avenue,” listing Mrs. Carrie Hart as a daughter.
A later city directory chosen at random, for 1981, showed Mrs. Hart still at this address and listed her as “retired.”
Architecture
This is one of several McCrorey Heights dwellings in what might be called the Cottage style. Unlike the Ranch style (more common in the neighborhood), Cottage style houses have steep pitched gable roofs plus projecting front gables. This house has a main gable roof, a projecting front gable over the living room, and a small gabled front porch with “wrought iron” metal columns. Walls are red brick. A one-vehicle carport is attached at the west side of the residence.
Building permits
Washington 1607 permit
Date issued: September 2, 1959
Owner: Carrie Hart & husband
Contractor: Edwin O. Clarkson
Estimated cost:
Other permit info: Build residence
Washington-1607-permit-a
Date issued: August 14, 1962
Owner: G.H. Hart
Contractor: Wells Construction Company
Estimated cost: $1,075
Other permit info: utility room added at rear of house
Oddity in permits: There are permits issued to owner Ken Powell for moving a house from 1623 Van Buren to 1607 (or 1609) Washington. I surmise that those are for 1635 Washington, where Kenneth Powell turns up in the city directory in 1975. I have attached those permits to 1635.
First appeared in city directory
1960 — Mrs. Carrie Hart. Teacher, Woodland School
Resources
Building permit files, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
City directory collection, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.