White Swan

White Swan was listed in the Green Book from 1950-1951 as “White Swan—115 Maxwell St.” under “Tailors” in Fayetteville. This is a white-owned business.¹

White Swan Laundry, Inc. was owned by John Duncan Currie (President, Treasurer, and owner/operator) and his brother, Neill Alexander Currie, Jr. (Secretary). The business was located at 115-117 Maxwell Street. Hazel Bulla briefly served as the business’s Assistant Secretary / Treasurer.²  

White Swan Laundry was in business by the mid-1930s. It was advertised in The Carolinian, an African American newspaper, in 1949, but it is not clear whether the business catered to other racial groups. A 1949 advertisement for White Swan Laundry reads “Going Back to School? Bring us your dry cleaning. Superior service at reasonable rates. Pick up and delivery or cash and carry. White Swan Laundry: Home of Zuron Dry Cleaning. 115 Maxwell St. Phone 3141.” A different ad, also from 1949, noted that the business was located across from a Post Office. An advertisement in the 1951 Fayetteville city directory noted that White Swan Laundry was a member of the American Institute of Laundering and offered every laundry and dry cleaning service, including the Zuron dry cleaning system.³

John D. Currie and Neill Alexander Currie, Jr. were born in Bladen County, North Carolina. The family moved to Fayetteville in the 1920s. Both men owned other businesses; John worked as an insurance agent and owned a bottling works, while Neill owned Currie Coal Company. Neill was also involved in local politics. He served on the Fayetteville School Board for 25 years (12 years as Chairman) and was a member of numerous boards.
115 Maxwell Street was listed as “Vacant” in the Fayetteville city directory from 1958-1963; White Swan Laundry likely closed between 1956-1957. The building was demolished and a new building erected by 1962.⁴

John Duncan Currie passed away in 1985. Neill Alexander Currie, Jr. passed away in 1996.⁵

Essay by Brandie K. Ragghianti, 2022

Notes

1. Victor Green, 1950 Green Book, 63; Green, 1951 Green Book, 54. 
2. Hill’s 1937 Fayetteville City Directory, 383 (classified listing); Hill’s 1941 Fayetteville City Directory, 663 (street listing), 472 (alphabetical listing), Z (buyer’s guide); Hill’s 1943 Fayetteville City Directory, 720, 721 (street listing), 487 (alphabetical listing), 65 (buyer’s guide); Hill’s 1946 Fayetteville City Directory, 69 (street listing), 456 (alphabetical listing), 65 (buyer’s guide); Hill’s 1951 Fayetteville City Directory, 90 (classified listing), 480 (alphabetical listing); Hill’s 1953 Fayetteville City Directory, 110 (alphabetical listing); Hill’s 1956 Fayetteville City Directory, 99 (street listing), 428  (alphabetical listing). 
3. “White Swan Laundry” (advertisement), The Carolinian (Raleigh, NC), September 3, 1949, digital image 18, accessed from http://newspapers.digitalnc.org; “White Swan Laundry” (advertisement), The Carolinian (Raleigh, NC), September 3, 1949, digital image 17, accessed from http://newspapers.digitalnc.org; Hill’s 1951 Fayetteville City Directory, 90 (buyer’s guide).
4. 1910 United States Federal Census, Brown Marsh, Bladen County, North Carolina, digital image s.v. “John D. Currie” and “Neil A. Currie Jr.,” accessed from www.ancestry.com; 1930 United States Federal Census, Ward 8, Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, digital image s.v. “John D.  Currie” and “Neil A. Currie,” accessed from www.ancestry.com; 1940 United States Federal Census, Ward 7, Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, digital image s.v. “Neill A. Currie” and “John D. Currie,” accessed from www.ancestry.com; 1950 United States Federal Census, Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, digital image s.v. “John D. Currie” and “Neill A. Currie, Jr.,” accessed from www.ancestry.com; “Neill A. Currie” (obituary), The News and Observer (Raleigh, NC), February 3, 1996, 8B, accessed from www.newspapers.com. 
5. Hill’s 1958, 1960, and 1962 Fayetteville City Directories; Listing for 115 Maxwell Street, www.xome.com. 
6. “John D. Currie” (obituary), The News and Observer (Raleigh, NC), July 10, 1985, 3C, accessed from www.newspapers.com; “Neill A. Currie” (obituary), The News and Observer (Raleigh, NC), February 3, 1996, 8B, accessed from www.newspapers.com.