County Faced Housing Shortage In 1940s And '50s

Over the past few weeks Picturing the Past has featured some of the older homes in Brevard.  Information and photographs on these and other older homes throughout the county are available through the architectural survey that was undertaken in 1990-1991.  In order to be included structures had to be at least 50 years old at the time of the survey and not greatly altered. 

During the middle of the 20^th century Brevard and surrounding areas experienced substantial growth.  In 1930 the county’s population was 9,589.  Over the next three decades Transylvania County grew to 12,241 residents in 1940 and 15,194 in 1950.  This can be attributed to two main factors.  First, the opening of Ecusta paper mill brought a large number of jobs and new workers to the county.  Second, following WWII young men and women married and started families as they returned from military service.  This was the beginning of the Baby Boomer generation.

By the late 1940s and into the 1950s there was a housing shortage and new homes of all types and sizes were being constructed.  Beginning in June 1947, the Ecusta Echo often ran photographs and brief descriptions of new homes constructed by employees.   The houses of this era tended to be smaller and have less architectural detail than those of the late 1800s and early 1900s but varied in architectural style and type of construction material.

Local rock was a common type of building material.  Mr. and Mrs. Eb Morrow and Harry Lee Hogsed in the Dunn’s Rock community, Mr. and Mrs. S.R. Harrington in the Cherryfield community, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Frady in Little River, Jack Brown in the Penrose community, and Mr. and Mrs. Carl Bryson on Elm Bend Rd. all built homes of rock or with rock facing.  They ranged in style from two-story Cape Cod to traditional ranch.

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Israel constructed a new home in the
Little River community in 1954.

Small to medium size one-story, wood-frame homes were also popular.  Constructed was often completed by the homeowner.  An article in the July 1948 Echo stated, “It would be difficult to estimate the number of houses now under construction or recently finished by Ecustans.”  Employees from just the Inspections Department were building homes in the Blantyre, Boyleston, Brevard, Glade Creek, and Little River areas of Transylvania County, as well as the Etowah and Horseshoe areas of Henderson County.

Another option for small homes was pre-fabrication.  The basic features of these small homes were similar but homeowners could individualize the exterior appearance with porches, shutters, window boxes, and landscaping.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.