Hill House History
1910’s
The Hill House served as the family home of John Sprunt Hill, his wife, Annie Watts Hill, and their three children. The Boston firm Kendall and Taylor, which also built Watts Hospital, designed the house in a modified Spanish style with stucco exterior and a red tile roof. All the woodwork on the first floor and some of the furniture were designed and manufactured by another Boston firm, Irving Casson, the same firm that created the woodwork for Duke Chapel.
Building began in 1911 and was completed in 1912. The original grounds (a full city square around the house) included a tennis court, a putting green, a pergola, and a formal rose garden. Across the street to the south (now the site of Orchard Park, a gift of the Hill Family to the City of Durham) were a large vegetable garden, orchard, stables for horses and cows, as well as several greenhouses. The interior of many of the rooms of the house, particularly those on the first floor, appear today much as they did when the Hill family lived here. Many of the furniture pieces and rugs are original as well.
1920’s - 1960’s
The Hill family made many lasting contributions to both the economic development of Durham and Chapel Hill as well as the improvement of the greater community. Mr. Hill is known as the “Father of the Rural Credit Unions” and Mrs. Hill was one of the founding members of the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties in addition to her other charitable works.
Mrs. Hill passed away in 1940. In recognition of his wife’s participation in civic functions, Mr. Hill’s will established a trust, the Annie Watts Hill Foundation, so that the Hill House would serve as a continuing memorial to his wife.
In 1963, the Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties, through its nonprofit status, began to enjoy an intricate legal relationship that in effect binds Hill House and the League together, to the benefit of each.
2020’s
In 2020, Hill House underwent a large-scale restoration, updating plasterwork, flooring, the roof, and mechanical systems. A multi-stall restroom was also added to the first floor to better accommodate larger events. The home reopened in early 2022, ready to host groups of all sizes. The Junior League of Durham and Orange Counties, a civic organization of women focused on volunteer work and leadership training, currently manages the house for the Annie Watts Hill Foundation.