1815 Patton Avenue
Among the earliest post-World War II houses in McCrorey Heights, this dwelling was built 1950-51 for James C. and Clara B. Brown. They owned the Dark Swan Smoke Shop & Confectionary. The store anchored the corner of Eldridge Street and West Stonewall Street in Charlotte’s black Third Ward neighborhood. Today that intersection no longer exists; the land was redeveloped during construction of Panthers football stadium in the 1980s.
This was one of at least a dozen houses in McCrorey Heights constructed by African American contractor Mangie McQueen: 801& 1012 Condon; 1703, 1704,1725 & 1800 Madison; 1627, 1712, 1800 & 1815 Patton; 1646 & 1715 Washington. McQueen’s daughter Clotelle and her husband Stanley Fisher lived down the street at 1627 Patton Avenue.
Architecture
Cottage style house, one-story in red brick. Cottage style houses had more compact massing and steeper and/or more complicated roofs than the Ranch style which was also popular in this period. This house has a main gable roof and a smaller projecting front gable. A porch supported by two simple Doric columns shades most of the front of the dwelling. The original owners took out a permit in 1963 to add a den and half bath on the back of the house. They secured another permit in 1975 to construct a freestanding carport, which seems now to be gone.
Building permits
Patton-1815-permit-b
Date issued: July 5, 1950
Owner: James C. & Clara Brown
Contractor: Mangie McQueen
Estimated cost:
Other permit info: to build residence
Patton-1815-permit
Date issued: April 14, 1963
Owner: James C. Brown
Contractor: Wells Construction Co.
Estimated cost: $2,890
Other permit info: Den on rear of house and half bath.
Patton-1815-permit-a
Date issued: August 26, 1975
Owner: James C. & Clara Brown
Contractor: Savrock Development Corp.
Estimated cost: $1,000
Other permit info: add free standing carport
Building permit files, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
First appeared in city directory
1953 – James C. Brown & Clara H.
He: Grocery at 602 Eldridge.
1961 – James C. Brown & Clara B.
Both work at Dark Swan Smoke Shop, confectionery at 602 Eldridge, corner W. Stonewall.
City directory collection, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.