The Broadell neighborhood was established in the 1952 when the first section of the Holly Springs subdivision was platted by the Broadell Homes company. The neighborhood is significant as it was the earliest neighborhood to develop that specifically catered to Fayetteville’s burgeoning Black middle class. Houses were sourced from stock plans presented by Broadell Homes, but prospective home buyers had the ability to customize design elements of their brand new homes. At the literal and figurative center of Broadell is E. E. Smith High School, Fayetteville’s only historically Black high school, where generations of Broadell’s residents have attended school.

In addition to surveying 533 properties and conducting research at local and regional archives, oral histories were integral to understanding Broadell’s history and the important role the community has played in resident’s lives. With the assistance of Cynthia Leeks, the president of the Seabrook-Broadell Neighborhood Community Watch, Katie and Cassandra conducted a series of oral histories with longtime residents of the neighborhood, gaining invaluable insight into the lived experiences of Broadell’s residents. The survey project documented Broadell’s history and local significance, and serves as a springboard for future preservation activities in the neighborhood.

The survey report can be found on the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office’s website, here.