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Local figure

Harvey Bennett

Harvey Bennett was a part owner of Bennett and Blocksidge, Chapel Hill's leading coal, fuel and appliance dealers. Elected to the Orange County Board of Commissioners in 1960, he served into the 1970s and was chairman in 1964, when he cast the deciding vote on the Walker Milling building, and again in 1972. In 1969 he backed the campaign to bring a Fiber Industries plant to the county.

Source: The News of Orange County, April 7, 1960

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Storylines this person is part of, in date order. Each has its own page.

StorylineChapel Hill’s first public housing, 1961–19691961–1969 · 14 events · Chapel Hill created a housing authority in 1962 to seek federally financed low-rent housing, and the choice of sites drew objections in which race was a factor. The aldermen acted after testimony about substandard housing before the Mayor's Committee on Human Relations in 1961 and a hearing of about 100 people, all in favor. In 1964 Vivian Foushee of the Citizens Committee for Progress led a Black delegation against placing most of a 60-unit project in the all-Black Gomains Avenue area, neighbors of a North Columbia Street tract petitioned against housing there, and two commissioners said 21 businessmen opposed the project. Craig-Gomains and Lindsay Street were built in 1967, and North Columbia Street in 1968. In 1969 Mayor Howard Lee appealed for low-rent housing for 30 families in condemned houses while more units were built. StorylineThe Walker Milling building on Court Square, 1963–19641963–1964 · 4 events · Hillsborough's historical groups pressed the county to halt the demolition of the Walker Milling building, a three-story landmark on Court Square, but in December 1964 it was razed to clear the lot for parking. Charles M. Walker Jr., who had bought the business his father and uncle ran for decades, closed it in 1963, pointing to changes in the farm economy. That August the county commissioners bought the mill and its lot for $25,000 to protect the county's future land needs around the courthouse. They declined to halt the demolition but, on Chairman Harvey Bennett's tie-breaking vote, agreed to buy the building's estimated 180,000 handmade bricks for resale. StorylineSelling the University’s utilities, 1970–19771970–1977 · 61 events · From 1970 Chapel Hill and Carrboro pressed to take over the water, electric and telephone systems the University owned. Carrboro lost a court fight over a 1970 water rate increase, and in 1972 a state study commission recommended that the University sell its utilities. Bids were opened in April 1974, and that fall the commission chose Southern Bell for the telephone system and Duke Power for electricity and water, over a nonprofit backed by the towns. The trustees asked that the water system go to a local authority, and OWASA, created in 1975, took over the water and sewer systems in 1977.

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 22 dated events in the chronology →

  1. The University gives up its Service Plants appliance business to two employees The UNC Service Plants, which supplied water, power and laundry, had begun selling electrical goods. After the state barred the University from competing with private business, Harvey D. Bennett and Frank C. Blocksidge took over the shop in the same place. People: Harvey Bennett Place: UNC Service Plants store, East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill · Also named: Frank C. BlocksidgeSearch the index · Bernard Lee Bryant Jr., Occupants and Structures of Franklin Street, Chapel Hill (1998; Chapel Hill Historical Society, 1999), scan p. 243
  2. The Chapel Hill Kiwanis Club elects Dr. J. P. Jones president and W. O. Sparrow vice-president The Kiwanis Club of Chapel Hill elected Dr. J. P. Jones president and W. O. Sparrow vice-president, with Harvey Bennett, W. M. Pugh, W. E. Thompson, C. W. Shields and E. J. Woodhouse as directors. People: W. O. Sparrow, Harvey Bennett, W. E. Thompson Place: Chapel Hill · Also named: J. P. Jones, W. M. Pugh, C. W. Shields, E. J. WoodhouseSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, September 20, 1935, p. 1
  3. East Franklin Street merchants open a customer parking lot at Columbia and Rosemary streets An association of 28 businesses and individuals in the East Franklin Street section opened the lot at 25 cents an hour, with the first hour free on a member's validated ticket; the News called it Chapel Hill's first customer parking lot. Monthly parking went on a second lot on Rosemary Street, the former American Legion Hut site, owned by five of the members. People: Carl Smith (Chapel Hill businessman and county commissioner), Harvey Bennett, Collier Cobb Jr., Vic Huggins Place: North Columbia and East Rosemary streets, Chapel Hill · Also mentions: American Legion Hut, East Franklin Street, Rosemary StreetSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), June 7, 1956, p. 8
  4. Donald Stanford and Harvey Bennett win the Democratic primary for county commissioner In a turnout of about 8,000, incumbent Donald Stanford and Harvey Bennett, both of Chapel Hill, won the two Democratic nominations for county commissioner with 4,061 and 3,989 votes in the corrected count. Dairy farmer Hugh Wilson carried 13 rural precincts but ran third with 3,402, Phil Schinhan had 2,602, and the five Chapel Hill precincts cast about 45 per cent of the county's vote. Place: Orange County · Also named: Donald Stanford, Hugh Wilson, Phil SchinhanSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), June 9, 1960, p. 6
  5. Donald M. Stanford becomes chairman of the county commissioners as R. J. M. Hobbs retires At the first meeting of the new board, Donald M. Stanford took the oath for a second term and was elected chairman, succeeding R. J. M. Hobbs, whom the board honored with a gift as he left after 26 years of public service. Harvey D. Bennett was sworn in as a new commissioner. People: Richard Junius Mendenhall Hobbs, Harvey Bennett Place: Courthouse, Hillsborough · Also named: Donald M. StanfordSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), December 8, 1960, p. 1
  6. Workmen begin tearing down Dave Neville's old store at Main Street and the railroad Dismantling began on the frame store at Main Street and the University Railroad tracks, known over the years as Dave Neville's general store, Partin's grocery and the Carrboro Feed and Seed Store. Owner Harvey Bennett took it down at the town board's informal request, since Carrboro's fire code barred prolonging the life of frame buildings downtown. People: Harvey Bennett Place: 207 East Main Street, Carrboro · Also named: Dave Neville · Also mentions: University RailroadSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, July 3, 1961, p. 6
  7. State highway commissioner refuses Orange's request to review its road plan The county commissioners had formally asked on November 6 for a review of the $258,000 secondary road program, which put about 40 percent into straightening curves and cut paving to about four miles. Highway Commissioner James G. W. MacLamroc told board chairman Donald Stanford the plan was already processed and would stand. People: Harvey Bennett Place: Orange County · Also named: James G. W. MacLamroc, Donald StanfordSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), November 30, 1961, p. 3
  8. Orange County commissioners reject county-wide zoning The county commissioners voted unanimously to disapprove the zoning ordinance the County Planning Board had drawn for the unzoned parts of the county, then tabled Clarence Jones's motion to zone most of Hillsboro Township and left the issue to the incoming board. Opposition leader C. R. Laws presented petitions he said carried 4,000 names against zoning, 1,067 of them from Hillsboro Township. People: Harvey Bennett Place: Orange County Courthouse, Hillsboro · Also named: Clarence D. Jones, C. R. Laws, Clarence JonesSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), November 8, 1962, p. 10
  9. County commissioners table a request to endorse Community Action, Inc. The Orange County commissioners put off endorsing and naming members to Community Action, Inc., a proposed privately financed biracial corporation meant to work on Chapel Hill's racial and economic problems. Every commissioner said he favored its aims, but objections to the makeup of its 18-member board, including two seats for the Chapel Hill Ministerial Association, stalled the vote. People: E. M (Elie Maynard) Adams, Carl Smith (Chapel Hill businessman and county commissioner), Harvey Bennett Place: Orange County Courthouse, HillsboroughThe News of Orange County (Hillsborough), April 9, 1964, p. 5
  10. A businessmen's group comes forward against Chapel Hill's public housing project County commissioners Harvey Bennett and Carl Smith told Housing Authority chairman Sidney Chipman that a group of 21 businessmen opposed the planned 62-unit project and that race was a factor, particularly at the Abernethy site, according to Chipman's report to the Authority on December 7. The Authority went ahead with site plans for the $890,000 project and began condemnation of parcels it still needed. People: Harvey Bennett, Carl Smith (Chapel Hill businessman and county commissioner) Place: Chapel Hill · Also named: Sidney ChipmanSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), December 10, 1964, p. 4
  11. County commissioners agree to buy the historic bricks of the Walker Milling building Pressed by Hillsborough's historical groups to halt demolition of the old Walker Milling Co. building on courthouse square, the commissioners declined but agreed, on Chairman Harvey Bennett's tie-breaking vote, to buy the estimated 180,000 handmade bricks for resale within six months. Mrs. A. G. Engstrom told them the bricks came first from the old Hillsborough Academy, later the Bingham School. People: Harvey Bennett, Mary Claire Engstrom Place: Courthouse square, Hillsborough · Also mentions: Bingham School, Hillsborough AcademySearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), December 10, 1964, p. 8
  12. Harvey D. Bennett becomes chairman of the county commissioners At their organizational meeting the Orange County commissioners elected Chapel Hill's Harvey D. Bennett chairman by a four-to-one secret ballot, succeeding Donald M. Stanford, who left after eight years to enter the state House. Bennett and newly elected Cedar Grove farmer William C. Ray were sworn in for four-year terms, and Henry S. Walker was chosen vice-chairman. Place: Orange County Courthouse, Hillsborough · Also named: Donald M. Stanford, William C. Ray, Henry S. WalkerSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), December 10, 1964, p. 3
Show all 22 dated events
  1. The old Walker Milling Co. building on courthouse square is torn down Orange County, which bought the mill property in August 1963 for $25,000, had a Wilmington contractor raze the building to clear the lot for parking. Historical groups asked the commissioners to save it, but they would only agree, by a split vote, to buy the old handmade bricks for resale. People: Mary Claire Engstrom, Harvey Bennett Place: courthouse square, HillsboroughSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), December 10, 1964, p. 8 · Also: The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), December 10, 1964, p. 12; The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), November 19, 1964, p. 3; The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), August 8, 1963, p. 5
  2. The Baptist church at Franklin and Columbia streets buys the lot a hamburger chain had leased A 15-cent hamburger chain had leased the grassy lot beside the church at the town's main intersection, across from the Ackland Art Center, and had its building plans approved. Three church lay leaders, Recorder's Court Judge L. J. Phipps, County Commissioner Harvey D. Bennett and Carl J. Seymour, appealed the permit to the board of adjustment over parking, the chain gave up its lease, and the church contracted to buy the lot to keep as a park or garden, with help from non-Baptist donors. People: Luther James Phipps, Harvey Bennett Place: Corner of Franklin and Columbia streets, Chapel Hill · Also named: Carl J. Seymour · Also mentions: Ackland Art CenterSearch the index · The Daily Tar Heel, September 17, 1966, p. 3
  3. County commissioners let the Ridgewood Mobile Home Park grow on the University Lake watershed The Orange County Board of Commissioners approved expanding the Ridgewood Mobile Home Park on the watershed of University Lake from five acres and 18 trailers to 20 acres and 60. A state sanitary official and Professor Daniel Okun of UNC's sanitary engineering department had warned that its septic tanks would foul the Chapel Hill-Carrboro water supply, but Dr. David Garvin of the district health department approved the request; a critic's letter to the paper said chairman Harvey Bennett cast the deciding vote. People: Harvey Bennett Place: Ridgewood Mobile Home Park, University Lake watershed, Orange County · Also named: David Garvin, Daniel OkunThe Daily Tar Heel, May 8, 1968, p. 1
  4. The county board chairman withdraws the Ridgewood trailer park's building permit Harvey Bennett, chairman of the Orange County commissioners, withdrew the building permit for the Ridgewood Mobile Home Park expansion after County Attorney Lucius Cheshire wrote the board that holding this one park to three trailers an acre, below the eight an acre the zoning ordinance allowed mobile home parks, could not legally be done. People: Harvey Bennett Place: Orange County · Also named: Lucius CheshireThe Daily Tar Heel, May 15, 1968, p. 6
  5. Chapel Hill aldermen outlaw lawn sprinkling and car washing in the drought At a called morning meeting asked for by the University, the Board of Aldermen made it a misdemeanor, with a $50 fine, to use water for lawn sprinkling, car washing or water-cooled air conditioners in the town and a mile around it, and asked the fire chief to declare the town a critical fire hazard. Mayor Sandy McClamroch had met the day before with Chancellor Sitterson and town and county officials, when the town and University were using about 3.6 million gallons a day. People: Sandy McClamroch, J. Carlyle Sitterson, Harvey Bennett Place: Chapel HillThe Daily Tar Heel, October 4, 1968, p. 1
  6. Orange County voters return commissioners Harvey Bennett and William Ray In the general election Orange County voters re-elected Democratic county commissioners Harvey Bennett of Chapel Hill and William Ray of Hillsborough over Republicans Paul Seibel and Clyde Williams, and returned Donald Stanford and Ike Andrews to the state House over P. H. Craig. The county gave Hubert Humphrey an easy win and Bob Scott nearly two to one for governor, and Chapel Hill Recorder's Court Judge L. J. Phipps led the six-man race for the new 15th District Court judgeships. People: Harvey Bennett, Luther James Phipps Place: Orange County polling places · Also named: William Ray, Paul Seibel, Clyde Williams, Donald Stanford, Ike Andrews, Bob ScottSearch the index · The Daily Tar Heel, November 7, 1968, p. 1
  7. County planning board recommends rezoning the Blackwood Station tract for Fiber Industries The Orange County Planning Board unanimously recommended rezoning the 450-acre Blackwood Station tract from residential to industrial for a $100 million Fiber Industries plant promising 1,500 jobs. Board member Mark Burnham pressed for stricter performance standards, and commissioners Carl Smith, Ira Ward and Harvey Bennett had backed the Chamber of Commerce's pro-Fiber campaign. People: Ira Ward, Carl Smith (Chapel Hill businessman and county commissioner), Harvey Bennett Place: Orange County · Also named: Mark BurnhamSearch the index · The Daily Tar Heel, July 24, 1969, p. 1
  8. County commissioners refuse sewer money for a Whittaker Knitting Mills dyeing plant near Hillsborough At a special meeting the Orange County Board of Commissioners voted against putting up $67,000 for sewer lines to a planned $1.67 million Whittaker Knitting Mills dyeing and finishing plant near Hillsborough, which would have employed up to 100 workers. Chairman Harvey Bennett opposed any further 'wet industry' near Hillsborough, citing a state water-resources report that urged limits on the plant's discharge into the Eno; Hillsborough Mayor Fred Cates backed the plant, and the company said it was looking at other sites. People: Harvey Bennett Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Fred CatesSearch the index · The Daily Tar Heel, November 8, 1971, p. 1
  9. State study commission recommends that UNC sell its water, electric and telephone systems Meeting on Saturday, July 29, the State Utilities Study Commission recommended that the University give up its utilities, turning the water system over to the Town of Chapel Hill or selling it to a private company and selling the electric and telephone systems to private enterprise. Chapel Hill Mayor Howard Lee, Carrboro Mayor Robert Wells, county board chairman Harvey Bennett and Rep. Carl Smith sat on the commission, which the legislature created at the University's request. People: Howard N. Lee, Harvey Bennett, Carl Smith (Chapel Hill businessman and county commissioner) Place: State Utilities Study Commission (University utilities, Chapel Hill and Carrboro) · Also named: Robert WellsThe Daily Tar Heel, August 3, 1972, p. 2
  10. Orange County commissioners ask to buy the University's water and electric systems The Orange County commissioners voted unanimously to tell the State Utilities Study Commission by letter that the county wished to buy the University-owned water and electric systems, though not the Chapel Hill Telephone Company, and to hire a consultant to judge the purchase. Chairman Harvey Bennett said a county system could serve the county, Chapel Hill and Carrboro "without squabbling" between the towns. People: Harvey Bennett Place: Orange County Courthouse, Hillsborough · Also mentions: Chapel Hill Telephone CompanyThe Daily Tar Heel, October 4, 1972, p. 1

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Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Site locations from the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office survey, Open Orange, Orange County GIS, OpenStreetMap and a few other published sources named on each site’s page; town and community pins show approximate locations.

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