Skip to content
Orange County Public Library (opens the library’s website in a new tab)

Local figure

Bruce Strowd

Bruce Strowd (about 1891–1955), born on Strowd Hill in Chapel Hill, opened the town's Ford dealership in 1914 and ran it until he retired. A charter member of the Chapel Hill Rotary Club, he served as a town commissioner, chaired the Orange County Welfare Board and was named the town's most valuable citizen in 1937.

Source: DigitalNC: Chapel Hill Weekly, December 20, 1955, p. 1 (Bruce Strowd Dies at 64)

1 work about Bruce Strowd is indexed here.

Search this work Research sources View indexed works ↓

Life and Orange County connections

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

StorylineChapel Hill’s movie houses and the Pickwick fire, 1916–19241916–1924 · 11 events · In 1924 Chapel Hill lost its Pickwick theatre to fire and gained a theatre owned by and run for Black residents. Early in 1916 Lindsey and Strowd opened the Tar Heel Theatre on Franklin Street and S. J. Brockwell's Pickwick went up in the same row, and about 1918 Henry Guthrie opened a picture house on West Franklin Street, in the blocks where Black families were settling. On February 9, 1924 an early-morning fire burned the Pickwick. Brockwell rebuilt it, fireproof, on the same site, and it opened on May 31 with seats for 750. On July 4 the Standard opened on West Franklin Street, owned by tailor Durward O'Kelly, builder Charlie Brooks and brick mason Jesse Kirkland. StorylineSocial Security comes to Orange County, 1937–19381937–1938 · 12 events · The new state social security law brought Orange County its first old-age assistance checks in 1937, and a higher county tax rate to pay for them. The law required a full-time welfare superintendent in every county, and W. T. Mattox succeeded George H. Lawrence, who would not leave the University faculty. The new Board of Public Welfare, with C. A. McDade as a Black member, announced that old-age assistance would go only to those in need. The county budget added a welfare fund that included federal and state money, and in August the county delivered its first checks, to 29 people, and raised its tax rate 7 cents for the new payments, the Weekly reported.

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 19 dated events in the chronology →

  1. Bruce Strowd builds a homemade automobile, the Strowdmobile By his own account, Bruce Strowd, then about sixteen, built a small automobile he called the Strowdmobile, with a one-and-a-half-horsepower two-cycle engine, a sewing-machine wheel steering it through a bicycle chain, and a drag brake. He said its noise frightened horses and the town fathers passed an ordinance against running any gasoline-engine vehicle, which he joked he had broken some 90,000 times since. Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), March 29, 1945, p. 1
  2. Strowd's Garage opens in Chapel Hill as the first garage in Orange County A plate caption identifies Strowd's Garage in Chapel Hill, pictured about 1913, as the county's first garage. People: Bruce Strowd Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · Lefler and Wager, Orange County, 1752-1952 (1953), image 123
  3. The Tar Heel Garage and Theatre Company of Chapel Hill is dissolved The stockholders of the Tar Heel Garage and Theatre Company, a Chapel Hill corporation with Bruce Strowd as its agent, unanimously consented to its dissolution, and the Secretary of State issued the certificate. People: Bruce Strowd Place: Chapel HillSearch the index · The News (Chapel Hill), July 26, 1917, p. 1
  4. Bruce Strowd starts a two-story garage at Franklin and Columbia streets Construction began on Bruce Strowd's new garage on the old Carr place at the corner of Franklin and Columbia streets, a $30,000 building by contractor Brodie Thompson to plans by H. D. Carter, with 60 feet on Franklin Street, 120 on Columbia, elevators to the second floor and twice the floor space of his old garage. Thompson expected to finish by the end of the year. People: Bruce Strowd, Brodie Thompson, H. D. Carter Place: Franklin and Columbia streets, Chapel Hill · Also mentions: Franklin StreetThe Chapel Hill Weekly, August 21, 1924, p. 4
  5. Bruce Strowd opens his new Ford dealership at Franklin and Columbia streets Strowd Motor Company formally opened its new Ford sales and service building at 100 West Franklin Street, on the corner of Columbia, with a dance and contests. Chapel Hill's first automobile dealer had outgrown his quarters; the two-story brick building, one of the largest downtown, went up in 1924 on the old Carr place, with the showroom and service area below and a paint and body shop above. People: Bruce Strowd Place: 100 West Franklin Street, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, January 22, 1925, p. 2 · Also: NC Digital Collections: Chapel Hill Historic Sites Survey: Final Report; The Tar Heel, February 4, 1925, p. 4
  6. Bruce Strowd paints Chapel Hill's name on his garage roof for airplane pilots At the request of Edsel Ford, Bruce Strowd painted a sign reading 'Chapel Hill, N. C.' in big white letters on the roof of his Ford garage so it could be read from the air. The Weekly noted that motorists still had no sign at all telling them the name of the town. Place: Strowd Motor Company garage, Franklin and Columbia streets, Chapel HillSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, February 5, 1926, p. 1
  7. Aldermen set up a citizens' committee and job bureau for the unemployed After P. L. Burch told of earnest men seeking work at his University office, the aldermen authorized Mayor Zeb Council to name an emergency committee on unemployment. Howard W. Odum chaired it, and Bruce Strowd ran a free employment list at his garage; by early January 109 men had registered and 84 had been placed in jobs. People: Howard W. Odum, Bruce Strowd, Peter L. Burch, Zeb P. Council Place: Town hall and Strowd Motor Company, Chapel HillThe Chapel Hill Weekly, November 14, 1930, p. 5
  8. Orange County's new Board of Public Welfare says old-age aid is relief, not a pension The county's new Board of Public Welfare, Bruce Strowd of Chapel Hill, O. L. Crabtree of Hillsboro and C. A. McDade, announced that old-age assistance under the Social Security programs would go only to those in need, that the money available would allow aid to only about one in five persons over 65 in the county, and that the average allowance would probably be under $12.20 a month. People: Bruce Strowd Place: Orange County · Also named: O. L. Crabtree, C. A. McDadeSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, June 4, 1937, p. 5
  9. The county welfare department is reorganized under Social Security A new three-member welfare board of O. L. Crabtree, Bruce Strowd and Charlie McDade, a Black member, took charge, and W. T. Mattox became superintendent in July 1937. The office moved to Hillsborough that year and kept a branch in Chapel Hill. People: Bruce Strowd, William T. Mattox Place: Hillsborough · Also named: O. L. Crabtree, Charlie McDadeSearch the index · Lefler and Wager, Orange County, 1752-1952 (1953), p. 211 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, June 4, 1937, p. 5; Chapel Hill Weekly, June 25, 1937, p. 2; Chapel Hill Weekly, July 16, 1937, p. 3; Chapel Hill Weekly, October 1, 1937, p. 2
  10. Orange County makes its first Social Security assistance payments The county delivered its first checks under the new federal, state and county Social Security program to 29 people approved for July: 20 for old-age assistance, 7 for aid to dependent children and 2 for the blind. The Weekly reported that the recipients were about evenly divided between white and Black residents. People: William T. Mattox, Bruce Strowd, Gilbert W. Ray Place: County welfare office, HillsboroughSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, August 6, 1937, p. 1
  11. Bruce Strowd is named Chapel Hill's most valuable citizen The Carolina Theatre's yearly trophy for the town's most valuable citizen went to automobile dealer Bruce Strowd, chosen by Dr. S. A. Nathan, Mrs. Isaac Manning and W. M. Pugh. The committee cited his work for the town's schoolchildren, the free rides he gave rural children coming to school, his help with unemployment and his work on the county welfare board. People: S. A. Nathan Place: Chapel Hill · Also named: W. M. Pugh, Mrs. Isaac ManningSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, December 24, 1937, p. 1 (Strowd Is Valuable)
  12. Chapel Hill's four central filling stations agree to take turns opening on Sundays After the federal order cutting gasoline deliveries to 90 per cent of July sales, the four filling stations near the middle of town, run by Obie Davis, Herbert Pendergraft, Ben Rose Strowd and Bruce Strowd, agreed that only one would sell gasoline each Sunday, in a rotation drawn by lot. They complained that a July base was unfair to a college town, where sales rose when the University opened. People: Bruce Strowd Place: Franklin Street, Chapel Hill · Also named: Obie Davis, Herbert Pendergraft, Ben R. Strowd, Ben Rose StrowdThe Chapel Hill Weekly, August 22, 1941, p. 1
Show all 19 dated events
  1. Chapel Hill's air raid wardens organize in sixteen districts Meeting at the Town Hall on January 14 under chief warden R. H. Wettach, with Bruce Strowd and W. E. Thompson as deputies, the air raid wardens began organizing the town in sixteen districts, each with a leader, and arranged the Red Cross first aid course for wardens, firemen, police and barbers. They also took up how far the town police and firemen could serve outside the town limits. People: Bruce Strowd, W. E. Thompson, Robert H. Wettach Place: Town Hall, Chapel HillThe Chapel Hill Weekly, January 16, 1942, p. 1
  2. Chapel Hill piles up 5,000 pounds of scrap rubber in the national rubber drive In the nationwide scrap rubber campaign called by President Roosevelt, county chairman Bruce Strowd had about 5,000 pounds of old tires and other rubber piled on the floor of the Strowd Motor Company's display room, about 3,600 pounds bought from owners at a cent a pound and the rest given. Filling stations acted as collectors, and the proceeds were to go to the Army and Navy Relief Fund. People: Bruce Strowd Place: Strowd Motor Company, Chapel HillThe Chapel Hill Weekly, June 26, 1942, p. 1
  3. Bruce Strowd joins the Chapel Hill board of aldermen The board of aldermen elected Bruce Strowd, owner of Strowd Motor Company, to the seat of Obie Davis, who had gone into the Navy. Place: Town Hall, Chapel Hill · Also named: Obie DavisSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, November 27, 1942, p. 1
  4. Chapel Hill reelects Mayor Madry and Judge Whitfield and adds Edwin Lanier to the aldermen About 700 Chapel Hill voters reelected Mayor R. W. Madry without opposition (616 votes) and returned Henry A. Whitfield as judge of the recorder's court with 417 votes to 90 for Tom Henry and 17 for Paul Robertson. For three aldermen they chose R. B. Fitch (493), newcomer Edwin S. Lanier (456) and Bruce Strowd (398); F. O. Bowman, an alderman for eight years, lost with 375. People: Robert W. Madry, Edwin Sidney Lanier, Bruce Strowd, Paul H. Robertson, Henry A. Whitfield, Frederick O. Bowman Place: Town hall, Chapel Hill · Also named: R. B. Fitch, Paul RobertsonSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), May 10, 1945, p. 5
  5. Andrews and Riggsbee sell their Carrboro grocery to two other men named Andrews and Riggsbee The partners Andrews and Riggsbee sold their Carrboro grocery to two men also named Andrews and Riggsbee, who kept the store's name. The sellers kept the tractor business they had bought from Bruce Strowd, which was moving into a new building on Greensboro Street. People: Bruce Strowd Place: 100 East Main Street, CarrboroSearch the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, February 24, 1950, p. 6 · Also: Chapel Hill Weekly, July 30, 1959, p. 5
  6. Bruce Strowd sells his car business to Crowell Little and Grady Pritchard After thirty years at 100 West Franklin Street, Strowd sold the dealership in 1953. The new owners kept it in the same building for two more years. People: Bruce Strowd Place: 100 West Franklin Street, Chapel Hill · Also named: Crowell Little, Grady PritchardSearch the index · NC Digital Collections: Chapel Hill Historic Sites Survey: Final Report (1992), p. 59
  7. Bruce Strowd, Chapel Hill's first automobile dealer, dies Bruce Strowd, son of the merchant Robert Lee Strowd, died at Memorial Hospital at 64. He had built a home-made motor car about 1907, sold Fords in Chapel Hill from 1914 until he retired from the Strowd Motor Company in 1953, served many years as a town alderman and as chairman of the county welfare board, and was a charter member of the Rotary Club. Place: Memorial Hospital, Chapel HillSearch the index · The News of Orange County (Hillsborough), December 22, 1955, p. 10

People named in the same events

People named in the same dated entries as Bruce Strowd, those sharing the most entries first. Each line links one of the shared entries in the chronology, where its source is cited. A shared entry shows these people in the same event, not how well they knew each other.

Show 3 more

Indexed works

Works about or by Bruce Strowd. Each links to the institution that holds or provides it. Background reading appears below.

Strowd, Bruce: photographs (Chapel Hill Historical Society)

1916

Bruce Strowd, owner of the Strowd Garage in Chapel Hill, in two photographs dated 1916 to 1937: one of him posed with a 1938 Ford, the other of three men pumping gas at the Strowd Ford dealership. From the Chapel Hill Historical Society's Prints and Photographs Collection.

Included because: Its title names this person.

CH Historical Society

Places in this person’s story

Buildings, schools, churches and other sites named in the dated events on this page, the most often named first. The map shows the 1 with a known location.

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.

All places and the county map →

Research sources

Sources and research tools for this person. For ready-made searches of other catalogs, see Search further. Research guide: Trace a family through historical records.

Background

Collections and databases

  • NC LIVE: prepared search for Bruce Strowd Library card Search NC LIVE for this subject and Orange County. You can change the search terms. Sign in through your North Carolina library to access the materials.
  • Ancestry Library Edition In the libraryOrange County Public Library Census, birth, death and marriage records, and more, free on the public computers at OCPL libraries

Local help

Search further

Search other catalogs and collections for this name. Results may include other people with the same name and have not been reviewed by the Friends.

Books about Bruce Strowd

Find copies at other libraries

Photographs, papers, and newspapers

Historical records and collections

These searches use Bruce Strowd’s name without birth or death dates, so results may include namesakes. Links open in a new tab.

Found a book OCPL doesn’t own? You can often borrow it through interlibrary loan at OCPL.

More to discover

Keep Reading Local

The Friends connect people with new library materials, local writers and publishers, and resources documenting Orange County.

Browse New Arrivals → Meet Local Authors → Explore Local Publishers →
Two mice reading back to back against a leaf, with the hand-lettered words Friends of the Orange County Public Library
Illustration by Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell, gifted to the Friends 2026