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Many of us have grown up looking at a particular grand old house, so I want to share its history. This is the ‘Abraham Wilder House’ that was located at Sixth and Gladden Streets in Washington.

Born in 1875, Mr. Wilder was the only other African American shipyard owner (Hull Anderson was the first) in Washington. His shipyard was located between Bonner and Market Streets on Water Street. He ceased operations in 1938 to move to Morehead City to help build government utility boats and repair submarine chasers.

Abraham’s father, Richard Wilder, was a wealthy man in his own right. He owned a schooner that he used to import molasses from the West Indies to Washington and other Eastern NC destinations.

This house, like many other stately homes in the Black Historic District of Washington, no longer exists. It was demolished about three years ago, seemingly erasing the legacy of the prosperous family that lived here. But not so, the history of this house and so many others are preserved through the history of the Black Historic District.

The Black Historic District covered an area that began at Second and Gladden Streets in the early 1900’s. There were several Black owned businesses between Main and Second Streets where Bill’s Hot Dogs is today.

There were families who lived on Gladden and Second Street and is where the Black Business District flourished. Gladden Street was so well known for the prosperous Black families that live on it was renamed by them as ‘Prosperity Row.’ The name ‘Prosperity Row’ was noted and attributed by a Washington Black census taker, Caroline Mosely Payton, (who is also my aunt.)

Today there is a grand effort organized by local Black historians and leaders to preserve the remaining homes that once belonged to the Black history makers in Washington.

Last weekend, Walker Hinkelman and leaders from North Carolina Preservation brought an amazing event called the Washington Ramble. Participants were offered the opportunity to go on historical walking tours throughout the city, visit historical homes, businesses, museums and see centuries old structures. It was an awesome opportunity to see what our city has to offer and learn history from all parts of the city.

Information was shared about how several Black owned houses with great historical significance to the city may be eligible for preservation grants to help restore old houses such as the Dr. Haywood Nathaniel Dowdy’s home on Sixth Street and the house on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (formerly Fourth Street) Dr. Booker T Washington visited when he was here in Washington in 1910, as well as the homes of prominent educators, doctors and city leaders on Market Street between Sixth and Ninth Streets.

Houses and businesses that no longer exist (as well as a few that do remain) are being considered as potential sites to have historical markers to denote the significance to the Black Historic District.

Much gratitude to North Carolina Preservation, Walker Hinkelman and to all those who participated in this event for sharing your time and effort, your homes, museums, the historical expertise on the walking/riding historical tours and to the many out of town visitors and locals who joined in. ‘As a rising tide lifts all boats,’ this collaboration really made Washington shine.