South End Avenue, west side

Situated at the southern bend of South End Avenue, just to the north of Mill Stream, the Curtis C. Camp House is located on a westwardly sloping lot shaded by large maple trees.

• Record ID: 172
• Address: South End Avenue, west side
• Current Owner: Whitehead, Donald and Elizabeth
• Name of Building:
• Historic Name: Curtis C. Camp House
• Download PDF of Original Record

Notable Features

Fully Greek Revival in character, the facade features full height, flushboard pilasters supporting a fully pedimented gable which exhibits a decorative mullioned window. Centrally located, the six-panelled entrance door is flanked by three-paned sidelights and surmounted by a five-paned overlight with decorative muntins. The door surround features a high entablature set on pilasters. Original six-over-six sash remain throughout. Additions include an exterior brick chimney on the northern elevation. The shed-roofed ell which extends from the western elevation is original.

Historical or Architectural Importance

The Curtis C. Camp House is a five bay, 2t story, gable-to-street, Greek Revival style house built ca. 1840. Resting on a sandstone foundation, the clapboarded, post-and-beam frame is topped with an asphalt-shingled roof.
William Chauncey Fowler states in his History of Durham that this property “was formerly owned by Lieut. Abraham Scranton who went with Ethan Allen and the Connecticut troops and surprised Ticonderoga. Israel Scranton (Abraham’s son) occupied the same house. When he moved to Michigan the house was pulled down and a new one built by Curtis C. Camp” (pp. 199-200). Research shows that Curtis C. Camp did indeed purchase a tract of land with buildings in 1835 under the stipulation that “Abraham and Louisa Scranton have life use and improvement of the garden, southeast part of the barn and the east half of the dwelling house” (DLR 19:158). Abraham passed away in 1836,and upon his widow’s death in 1839 Camp tore down the old dwelling and erected the present structure. In 1846 Camp moved to Berlin, Connecticut, and sold the house to his brother, Alexander Camp. Married to Abigail W. Maynard, Alexander owned a portion of the sawmill located just to the southeast of the property. Elected as the town agent for the sale of spirits and liquor in 1851, Camp also served as a town constable for a number of years. In 1852 Albert Sizer (1806- ? ) and his wife Hannah (Cone) Sizer (1812- ? ) acquired the property. Sizer, whose occupation was listed as a “peddler,” served in the Civil War where he died in service.’ Pancras Laundersack purchased the house in 1870 and resided there until 1879. The next owner was Susan Birdsey, whose family retained ownership of the property until 1937.
Architecturally, the Curtis C. Camp House is significant as one of Durham’s best examples of the Greek Revival style. Historically,the house is noteworthy for its association with the Camp family, one of Durham’s leading families.