The Patterson-Eppes Home: Historic Home in Wake Forest, North Carolina

605 North Main Street Wake Forest, NC, Wake County

Imagine yourself as a child in the 1930s. These were the years of the “Great Depression” following the collapse of the stock market due to uncontrolled rampant speculation which occurred during the “Roaring Twenties.” Twenty four cents would provide you with a full afternoon of entertainment: 9 cents for the double feature of Tom Mix, Charles Starett or Roy Rogers, and 5 cents each for a box of popcorn, a soft drink and a candy bar.

Grady Patterson, Sr, was the Registrar and Director of Admissions at Wake Forest College. He supplemented his income by selling life insurance for Union Central Life Insurance Company. In addition, he also served as Treasurer of the local Baptist Church.

Grady Patterson, Sr built this home in 1928, on what was known as “Faculty Avenue,” long before it came to be known as North Main Street to match the name of the southern part of the same street. This road was the only corridor from Maine to Key West and served as a heavily used path to and from those area and all others in between.

In 1958, Charles (Chuck) and Francis (Frankie) Eppes purchased the home from the Pattersons. That’s right, this home has had only two owners in its lifetime! The Eppes raised their children in this home in addition to hosting Thanksgiving dinners for the entire family.

Today, the home sits in very much the same condition it was in 1958. The back porch has been converted to heated living space and the oak tree out front is much bigger. For the most part, other than the sprawling town of over 30,000 that has grown up around it, the house is just like it was back then.

The home was sold to Ethan and Karin Drum on October 10, 2014 and they did significant updates to the property.

On October 18, 2019, Kevin and Tara Parris purchased the home and continue to live in it today.

The photos below are from 2014 when the home was listed for sale by Brian Pate. Brian is currently with the Pate Realty Group Brokered by Real Broker, LLC in Wake Forest, North Carolina.