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The neighborhood of The Downs in southwest Durham County is a residential development located on land originally known as "Five Forks" in the 1880’s. On the 1887 map of Patterson Township, the name "Capt J. R. Hutchins" appears on the approximate site of The Downs today. The area later became a farm owned by the William Dickerson family.
Developers J. Dewey Powell and his wife Mabel bought a 216-acre bottle-shaped plot of land which was to become The Downs from farmer Dickerson in the mid-1960s. The first lots were sold in the late 1960s and the subdivision map was recorded in April 1971 under the name of "Kingswood East." The developers subsequently envisioned a horse-themed development, hence "The Downs," "Trotting Trail," and "Lariat Lane." ("Kennebec" and Kyleway" remain a mystery!) The area consisted of 29 lots of mixed hardwoods (and wildlife) along Farrington Mill Road, about 6 miles from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The property was divided into 4-acre to 11-acre lots to be sold individually by Foushee Realty. In the early '70s the first homes were built by the Tillmans (7612 Kennebec, on the lot owned in 2012 by the Blalocks), Stancils (7624 Kennebec, later owned by the Lambertsens and then the Heims) and Baumans (7313 Kepley, owned in 2012 by the Farleys). In January 1974, Phil and Betsy Buchanan moved into their home at 7906 Kennebec, and a few months later, in April, Richard and Emily Joiner moved into their new home at 7820 Kennebec. Three of the larger lots were subsequently subdivided into 2-acre lots. Of historical interest, John Swofford, Commissioner of the ACC for the first decades of the 21st century, was a long-time resident of The Downs at 7922 Kennebec (owned in 2012 by the Rice-Kaufmans).
In May 1972, the Protective Covenants were recorded with the Durham County Registry in order to provide minimal guidelines for building and landscape standards. The purpose of the Covenants was to maintain the country feeling of the area, with tree-lined roads, e.g. no businesses or trailer parks.
"The intent of these covenants is to assure that all of the property owners and residents in this planned area will have maximum privacy, be able to utilize the land efficiently, and will be allowed to enjoy to the fullest the natural beauty of the countryside."
The Covenants were originally to expire January 1, 2020 (or 2029), unless they were extended in their entirety by a written declaration of the owners of two-thirds of the lots within six months prior to January 1, 2020 (see page 2 of the Covenants). Such a declaration was filed for each version in November 2019, extending the Covenants until January 1, 2050.
In the last 40 years, construction standards and the design and maintenance of wells and septic systems have changed. The roads have all been paved, with drainage ditches, and a 30’ right-of-way maintained by the Durham County Division of Highways, NC Department of Transportation. In 1983, residents raised almost $22,000 in matching money to have the state pave Kennebec, Trotting Trail and Lariat Lane. In 2011, the rest of Kennebec was paved – yay! After hurricane Floyd, the county severely cut the trees on the shoulders to prevent trees from falling on the roads.
Our community has grown in many ways over the years and we continue to work together to solve problems and to help our friends and neighbors.