Comments on: Marking the Historic Neighborhood of Idlewild

By: Raleigh Boy

Raleigh Boy — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:37:44 +0000

John and Matt–
Here’s what I know about the origin and early history of the Idlewild neighborhood: In 1891 the property on the north side of New Bern Ave., then know as the “Seawell Grove,” was subdivided into lots by the Raleigh Land and Improvement Co. The development encompassed the area bounded by New Bern Ave., Tarboro Rd., Oakwood Ave. and Swain St. It was named “Idlewild” after the antebellum estate then located on New Bern Ave. across from the grove. Apartments occupy that site today. A grid plan of streets was laid out with alleyways running behind them on a north-south parallel. One of those alleys was later widened and is now the present Cooke St., formerly known as Haywood St. Other named alleys still exist in the neighborhood, among them Selwyn Alley and Heck Alley. Eventually shotgun houses lined most of them, but they are all now gone.

Remember, this was the segregation era, and Idlewild was initially intended as a “whites only” neighborhood. The lots did not sell well and by the early 1900s Idlewild was being marketed to Raleigh’s then emerging black middle class, many of whom were associated with nearby St. Aug’s. By 1914 CP&L streetcars were servicing the neighborhood. The cars ran out New Bern Ave., turned north onto Idlewild Ave., then west onto Lane St., through Oakwood and then back downtown. Idlewild especially flourished during the 1920s; that is the period when many of the houses still standing today were built. The Great Depression of the 1930s took its toll on the neighborhood, and by the post WW II period it had entered a gradual decline. There’s much more to this fascinating story, but this narrative is already running a little long.

Incidently, trying to associate the neighborhood with Oakwood or giving the area cutsey names like “Edenton Place” is no more than a real estate agent’s ploy. I myself would be proud to live in a neighborhood like Idlewild! “Edenton Place”? –Haha

Oh, and about Hungry Neck: It occupied the low-lying area stradling Edenton St. between Swain and East St., and was one of Raleigh’s earliest post Civil War freedmen’s settlements. You can just make it out on C.N. Drie’s 1872 aerial map of Raleigh. Edenton St. was extended through there about the time Idlewild was first being developed. Nowadays, there are only 2 or 3 of the original houses extant . But that is another story, and I will save it for another time!

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:01:03 +0000

John, I do sorta look at it like that. At first I’ll admit that a part of me *wanted* my house to be in Oakwood, but as time has gone by I’ve gained more of an appreciation for the history of the area.

I also understand that revitalization (or what could be called gentrification) doesn’t always have a positive response. As the new houses go up on Cooke Street (starting around the mid-150Ks), the long-time residents of this area — many who have longed for good development for years — are bemoaning the fact that the homes are not affordable. I see their point, but I disagree if for no other reason than the prices of the houses in our area are designed to be varied. Ours was market rate when we bought it, but we are bounded on two sides by Habitat homes, and on the other side by homes where the owners could not earn more than X amount of money a year, thus opening it up for first-time buyers. In addition, I believe St. Aug’s has built several homes, thus tying the area to the nearest educational institution (again, a great idea, IMHO).

The neighborhood appears to be thriving; not just in growth and home values, but in the quality of the neighbors.

By: John

John — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:43:06 +0000

Kaci – I did, actually. There were a few what I believe to be women of the night (working on Thanksgiving, no less) who commented that I wouldn’t be able to drink the six pack of beer I just bought after eating turkey (I had to buy something…) They were very friendly, and when asked if they had anywhere to be for dinner, said words to the effect of – nah, just hanging out here.

Matt – Thanks for the tip about Hungry Neck. It’s my goal to document all of the markers that line your area. You point out an interesting observation–does the designation of the neighborhood change when the demographics of it are altered? You can always look at it from the point of view that you are a resident of several neighborhoods, all while only owning one house!

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:09:24 +0000

I live on the “revitalized’ side of Swain, and absolutely love all the color and character of this particular part of Raleigh. Yes, it has its somewhat unseemly side, but all in all it is a wonderfully charming place to live. I should say that the area is definitely in limbo — not just in its changing face but in name. When we moved in, we were told we were in “Oakwood” (not Historic Oakwood, but Oakwood nonethless). We are also supposedly in an area once known as Edenton Place. According to your info, we are in the Idlewild area. With the revitalization, it has also been dubbed the Cooke Street Community. And, up at the corner of Edenton and Bloodworth (or East?) there is another marker, dubbing the area Hungry Neck, which has a certain charm as well.

By: Kaci

Kaci — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:16:32 +0000

Interesting…I can’t say that I go around on foot, wandering the streets of Idlewild, though I frequently bike through this neighborhood and find it pleasant as well.

Did you talk to anyone in the neighborhood?

This is a good article.