October 24, 2025 -- The Drive From Durham To Charlottesville

Cedar Grove is an unincorporated community in Orange County, North Carolina, United States. It is located southeast of McDade, and northwest of Hillsborough.

The Cedar Grove Rural Crossroads Historic District and Capt. John S. Pope Farm are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• History:

  The community began to develop around the time the post office was established in 1828. 

• Rural Community:

  The crossroads community served as a commercial, social, and educational hub for the area, featuring businesses like a store, blacksmith, and tanner. 

• Historic School:

  • The first consolidated school for African American students in the county, Cedar Grove School, was built in 1951 to replace older, segregated schools. 

  • It served as a community center before closing in 1969 following school integration. 

• Modern Day:

  The original school building was renovated and reopened in 2016 as the Cedar Grove Community Center. 

Cedar Grove Rural Crossroads Historic District is a national historic district located at Cedar Grove, Orange County, North Carolina. The district encompasses 44 contributing buildings, 9 contributing sites, and 7 contributing structures in the rural crossroads community of Cedar Grove. The district developed from the mid-19th to mid-20th century, and includes notable examples of Late Victorian and Colonial Revival style architecture. Notable buildings include the Rogers-McDade House, Eno Presbyterian Church (1897-1899), Cedar Grove Methodist Church (1939), Allison-Oliver-Pender Store (1880s), and Allen A. Ellis Store (1923).

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

While I was in Durham...