Page 16 - Robeson Living Fall 2020

lot as I would not like for my home to suffer this indignity.” Two
years later Duart House was demolished and the headquarters
of Southern National Bank, founded by her husband, was built.
The old bank building was donated to the county and they have
renovated it to house county offices.

A.E. White House
The unusual triangular lot formed by Eighth Street and Eliza-
bethtown Road at Chestnut Street in downtown Lumberton
at one held the home of Albert Edward White and wife, Ellen

Locke Shaw Home

Duart House Property
The downtown Lumberton block behind the Robeson County
Courthouse was owned by the Godwin and French families for
over 150 years. After their marriage on April 14, 1904 Angus
Wilton McLean and his wife Margaret Jones French McLean
lived with her grandparents, Barry and Martha Godwin. After the

A.E. White House

Governor and Mrs. McLean’s Duart House

Godwins died their home was moved to the rear of the block and
turned into the Godwin Apartments. The old First Baptist Church
was located on the corner of the lot at 5th and Walnuts Streets and
when the new church was built across the street Mrs. McLean Entry hall of the White House
purchased the old building converting it to the McLean Apart-
ments. In 1908 construction began on Duart House which con- Fuller. The front of the home featured five columns each being
tained 10,000 square feet and construction costs were estimated seven feet around and twenty-five feet high. The entry hall fea-
between $30,000 - $50,000. Duart House served as the setting for tured a magnificent spilt staircase with stained glass windows on
large scale entertaining for business and political associates but the landing and the dining room contained beautiful mission oak
more importantly it served as the gathering place for their large paneling. The home had all the modern conveniences of the time
extended family which spent many years enjoying her family din- including speaking tubes to connect each room with the staff in
ners and parties. Mrs. McLean died in 1959 leaving the home to the kitchen.
children, Hector and Margaret, with the hopes that they would
develop it into business property. According to her will her only Mr. White served as mayor and had extensive business concerns
wish was “that my yard and gardens not be turned into a parking

Page 15 Page 16 Robeson Living ~ Fall 2020