The Lucille Hunter House: Honoring an Educator, Preserving a Landmark

By Edna Rich-Ballentine

As National Preservation Month concludes, we reflect on the places that tell Raleigh’s story. Preservation Raleigh’s 2025 Places in Peril (PIP) series has highlighted significant locations facing threats. For our sixth and final featured site, this article focuses on the Wiley and Lucille Hunter House, located at 316 E. Cabarrus Street in Southeast Raleigh’s Prince Hall Historic Overlay District.

An Original Home in Raleigh’s Prince Hall Historic District

The Hunter House was built in 1893, and stands as one of the original homes in Raleigh’s first African American and Mixed-Use District. It is a one-story home with approximately 1056 square feet. In a document by Joyce M. Mitchell, this description of the Hunter house was used: “A one story, 3-bay structure, weatherboard siding and asphalt shingle roof. Attached to the front porch with a hipped roof, front posts support with jigsaw cut. Diamond louvered vents in front and side gables. Original door.” The house was on the 1914 Sanborn map and was noted as a “colored occupied house” in the 300 block in 1900. Wylie B. Hunter was listed as an occupant in 1900 and was still there in 1914 and 1925.

Cabarrus Street in the Prince Hall Historic District. Photo 2022 by Hodge & Kittrell.

The Prince Hall district (formerly South Person/South Blount), located southeast of the Capitol within Raleigh’s original boundaries, is a testament to the rich history of the African American community in the city. Since Reconstruction, the area has served as a hub for living, working, socializing, and worshiping, largely influenced by the establishment of Shaw University in 1865, which drew newly freed slaves and other Black citizens. This compact district, spanning about four city blocks, exhibits typical urban characteristics with its grid-patterned streets, narrow lots, and uniform setbacks. Over the decades, residences like the Hunter House were joined by significant institutions such as the 1907 Italianate Prince Hall Masonic Temple and the 1913 Gothic Revival Tupper Memorial Baptist Church, both designated Raleigh Historic Landmarks. The district’s evolution into a mixed-use neighborhood, its progression of architectural styles, and its cultural significance continue to give Prince Hall a strong sense of history and place today.

Front of 316 E. Cabarrus, 1989. Courtesy State Archives of NC

Who Lived at 316 E. Cabarrus St.?

This historic address was home to educators Wiley and Lucille Hunter and family. Hunter Elementary School is named after Lucille Hunter, a remarkable woman who taught in Raleigh’s segregated black schools for over forty years.

Born Lucille M. Smith in 1863 in Wilmington, North Carolina, she was the daughter of Peter J. Smith and Louisa, who were enslaved. Sometime after the Civil War, the family migrated north to Boston, Massachusetts, where Lucille attended public school. She went on to attend Hampton Institute in Virginia. In 1888, she married Wiley B. Hunter, a Wake County teacher and later principal of the Method School. Lucille and Wiley B. Hunter lived at 316 Cabarrus Street in Raleigh. The Hunters had a son, W. Kendall, who tragically died in a bicycle accident before the age of 16.

Lucille Hunter dedicated her career to teaching in Raleigh’s segregated black schools for over 40 years. In 1899, she was teaching third grade at the Washington School, and was listed in the Raleigh Public Schools Annual Report as a “colored” teacher with a monthly salary of $30.

Mrs. Hunter was known for her love of poetry, sense of humor, generosity, and kindness. Her contemporaries remembered her fondly. Dorothy Lane, who taught at Crosby-Garfield with Mrs. Hunter and was also acquainted with her through the Presbyterian Church, where both were members, recalled her as a petite woman with a fine sense of humor and a love of poetry. She “used to love to tell stories and recite poetry, especially the poems of Paul Lawrence Dunbar.” Bertha Mae Edwards remembered how “Mrs. Hunter could recite Dunbar’s poems with such fervor as to make one spellbound,” noting that her favorite recitation was Dunbar’s “Little Brown Baby.” Mrs. Lane also characterized her as thoughtful and caring, stating, “In those days, everyone was poor. Mrs. Hunter was always distributing clothes to the needy through our church.”

Lucille Hunter died suddenly at the age of 63. On December 23, 1926, The (Raleigh) News and Observer published an obituary. The obituary highlighted that she had taught in the schools of the State for over 40 years and that her husband, Wiley B. Hunter, was a teacher in the county schools. She was also well known as an elocutionist, “being in demand for recitations in Negro dialect.” Mrs. Hunter is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, located south of downtown Raleigh.

In 1927, construction of Hunter Elementary School was completed and dedicated to Mrs. Hunter. The decision to name the school after her was reached after her former students and colleagues lobbied the Raleigh Township Committee. It honored her as the first African American teacher in North Carolina to have a school named after her. Lucille Hunter died in the year before the school that bears her name opened its doors. Students today come from all over North Carolina’s Wake County to attend Lucille Hunter Elementary School near downtown Raleigh. The popular magnet school offers a wide variety of electives as part of its gifted and talented curriculum.

Hunter Magnet Elementary School, photo from WCPSS

Evolution and Decline

The house was vacant from 2003 to 2018, sinking into the ground and continuing to deteriorate. In 2020, the new owner developed plans to start renovation. The back was torn off and left open. Sadly, the renovations were never completed. The house was sold again in 2022, see listing photos by Hodge and Kittrell below. The house is still empty and open in the back.

2022 photos from Hodge & Kittrell

Current Status and The Threat

The present condition is vacant, deteriorating, sinking, and uninhabitable. The current owner is unsure what he wants to do with the property. The Raleigh Historic Districts Commission has provided the owner with recommendations on closing the back of the house to prevent more deterioration. The threat is neglect to possible demolition.

Community Impact and Consequences of Loss

If the property is not repaired it is likely to face demolition or it might collapse. Neighborhoods need safe and occupied properties for stability and growth. The loss of this home honoring a beloved and accomplished educator would continue the worrisome trend of loss facing Prince Hall.

Call to Action: How You Can Help

The Lucille Hunter House is more than just a structure; it is a link to Raleigh’s rich African American history and to the legacy of a remarkable educator. Its continued deterioration, and the looming threat of demolition, represent a significant loss for the Prince Hall community and for all of Raleigh.

We need your help to save this historic home!

Contact the Owner: We urge the current owner to prioritize the preservation of the Lucille Hunter House. Encourage them to seek resources and partnerships for its rehabilitation, rather than allowing further neglect or pursuing demolition.
Engage with Local Authorities: Reach out to the Raleigh Historic Development Commission and the City Council. Express the importance of preserving this historic property and the broader Prince Hall Historic District. Advocate for policies and actions that support the rehabilitation of historic structures and prevent demolition by neglect.
Spread the Word: Share the story of Lucille Hunter and the significance of her home with your friends, family, and social networks. Raise awareness about the threats facing this property and rally support for its preservation.
Support Preservation Raleigh: Your support enables us to continue our advocacy efforts for Raleigh’s historic places. Consider becoming a member or making a donation to help us protect more “Places in Peril.”

The future of the Lucille Hunter House depends on collective action. Let’s work together to ensure this vital piece of Raleigh’s heritage is preserved for generations to come.