Capitol (Capital Cab Company)

Capital Cab Company was listed in the Green Book in 1947 as “Capitol—Phone 9137” under “Taxicabs” in Raleigh. The spelling of the company’s name varies in historical records.¹

Capital Cab Company was owned by Daniel “Dan” Sherman and was located at 133 E. Hargett Street. The cab company was conveniently located in the same building as the Richard Harrison Library (then, once the library moved, it shared a space with Hayes-Jackson Electric Company). Though the cab company was only listed in the 1947 edition of The Green Book it was open from 1943-1953.²

Daniel T. Sherman was born in North Carolina in 1909. He married Lucy Chandler in 1936 and the couple lived at 1414 Oakwood Avenue with their children and, at times, lodgers. Sherman later owned Sherman Gulf  Service Station, also in Raleigh. He passed away due to complications from ALS in 1969.³

Capital Cab was located in the Delaney Building, constructed by Dr. Lemuel T. Delany in 1926. It is still standing. As of November 2024 the building is vacant and available for lease.⁴

Essay by Brandie K. Ragghianti, 2024

Notes

1. Victor Green, 1947 Green Book, 65.
2. Hill’s Raleigh City Directory, 1940-1955, street listing;  “Capital Cab Co. Advertisement,” The Carolinian, October 6, 1945, Page 2, accessed from North Carolina Newspapers/Digital NC, http://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn80008926/1945-10-06/ed-1/seq-2/…;
3. “Dan Sherman,” 561 East Edenton Street, Ward 2. Raleigh, North Carolina, 1930 United States Federal Census, accessed from www.ancestry.com; Daniel Sherman and Lucy Chandler, April 15, 1936, Wake County, North Carolina, US Marriage Records, 1741-2011, accessed from www.ancestry.com; “Daniel Sherman,” Raleigh, Wake County, 1950 United States Federal Census, accessed from www.ancestry.com; “Daniel Sherman,” May 13, 1969, Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, US Death Certificates, 1909-1976, accessed from www.ancestry.com. 
4.  Hill’s 1960 Raleigh City Directory, street listing, alphabetical listing, classified listing; “Delany Building,” Raleigh Historic, accessed from https://raleighhistoric.org/items/show/77.