Fair-Rutherford House / Rutherford House
(Front text)
The Fair-Rutherford House, a Greek Revival cottage, stood here from ca. 1850 until it was demolished in 2004.
Built for Dr. Samuel Fair, it passed through several owners before 1905, when William H. Rutherford (1852-1910)
bought and enlarged it. Rutherford, an African-American businessman born a slave, taught school, then made lodge
regalia and supplies and briefly co-owned a local cigar factory.
(Reverse text)
The Rutherford House was built in 1924-25 for Carrie Rutherford, daughter-in-law of W.H.
Rutherford. Her son Dr. Harry B. Rutherford, Jr. (1911-1980) and his wife Dr. Evaretta Sims Rutherford (1910-1978)
were prominent educators, he as a teacher and principal and later a dean at Benedict College, and she as a professor
and department chair at Benedict College and Howard University. The house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Marker is on Washington Street near Gregg Street, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
