In 2023, Carrboro honored the historic Strayhorn House, which was owned and built by former slaves in 1879, with a Truth Plaque. The house on Jones Ferry Road has been occupied by six generations of the Clark family.

Deed from 1903

Lorie Clark, the great-great-granddaughter of original owners Toney and Nellie, came to the Carrboro Town Council meeting on January 7th to share that she had found a deed stating that Laurel Drive, where the Farmer’s Market is located, was previously called Strayhorn Drive.

She emphasized the historical significance of the Strayhorn name to the area and her desire to preserve this historical connection through some form of official recognition.

Because there’s already a Strayhorn Drive in Northern Orange County, it’s not possible to rename the street. But Clark and her son Donald Hawkins pointed out that would be possible to designate the area as the “Strayhorn District” or to place a placard at the top of Laurel Drive noting the former name of the street.

Mel is a journalist and librarian. Outside of work, she volunteers as a reading tutor at Carrboro Elementary School, writes about journalism for a variety of publications, and serves as chair of the OWASA...