History of Washington Park's Development Companies
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Information from the National Register of Historic Places: Architects | Development Companies | Residents | History of Winston-Salem | Ludlow's Plan | The Park | Streetcars
In May, 1911, the Atlantic Coast Realty Company of Washington, N.C., conducted its third auction sale of lots in the neighborhood. One company advertised a free barbecue dinner for all who attended and free streetcar tickets. The company had held a similar earlier sale and "it is understood that many who purchased then have realized good profit on their investment." Advertisements pitched 50 desirable residence lots on Southside; fifteen of these lots front on Main Street, on the car line. The sale was held near John L. Gilmer's large Victorian house on the hill at the west end of Cascade Avenue, overlooking the park (today's 605 Cascade Avenue, which is now the site of Gilmer's 1929 brick house which replaced the earlier house after it was destroyed by fire). According to the advertisement for the sale, 'It's Winston-Salem's 'Superb Suburb' -- It's growing more rapidly than any other part of the city.'
After the first day of the sale the newspaper reported "A great success was the land sale on Southside yesterday conducted by the Atlantic Coast Realty Company. Lots aggregating a value of more than $9,000 were sold . . ." Two days later the Atlantic Coast Realty Company conducted another sale, this one of 'valuable lots for the colored people on the Belo property at the North end of Trade street', demonstrating the strength and diversity of the development and housing industry in Winston and Salem at the time.
By 1919 a new subdivision was planned immediately south of the land first platted by Ludlow for WSL&,I. The area was subdivided by Atlantic Coast Realty which had held the land auctions in 1911. This time the company is listed as 'of Petersburg, Va., and Greenville, NC'. A 1919 plat shows the 'Holton and Fisher Subdivision, located in South Side suburb of Winston-Salem,' and consisted of the property of heirs of Jno. Q. Holton and the property of A.E. Holton. The plat encompasses land south of Acadia between Boswoth (today's Broad) and Konnoak View Drive, and includes Violet Street and Konnoak (originally Holton Street), though neither is named on the plat.
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