Maiden Lane, south side (corner of Main Street)

The Guida House stands on a tiny (.165 A) lot to the rear of the Moses Austin House, just off Durham’s Main Street.

• Record ID: 37
• Address: Maiden Lane, south side (corner of Main Street)
• Current Owner: Guida, John and Catherine
• Name of Building:
• Historic Name: John Guida House
• Download PDF of Original Record

Notable Features

The Guida House is a 3/4 story aluminum-sided structure. Its gable end faces the street. Its left side displays a one-foot overhang. A porch has been added to the north gable end which faces the street. A one-car garage has been added to its southwest corner.

Historical or Architectural Importance

The Guida House originally stood as an addition on the south gable end of the Moses Austin House. It was probably built in the early nineteenth century by James P. Camp, one of Durhamls most extensive shoe manufacturers, to house his many apprentices. It is possible, however, that the addition dates from the eighteenth century, since it would
have been most unusual for a practical Yankee like Camp to perpetuate a purely decorative feature like an overhang. The wing was removed from the Austin House between 1921, when Fred Rees sold this lot with no structures on it to George Francis, owner of the Merriam Manufacturing Company, and 1938, when the lot with a dwelling was purchased by Blanche A. Thayer. It was purchased by its present owners in 1965.