Death & Taxes
Raleigh, North Carolina
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Built in 1907, this location originally housed the H.J. Brown coffin house. Established in 1836 by Henry Jerome Brown who happened to be married to Joel Lane’s niece (Lydia Lane), this business had a unique role in dealing with death. In those days, when someone passed away, the family would shroud the body in cloth and engage cabinetmakers like H. J. Brown to craft a suitable container for the deceased.
The practice of embalming, as we know it today, gained acceptance during the Civil War. It was primarily used to preserve bodies for transportation back to their families. The H.J. Brown Company played a pivotal role in post-war Raleigh, eventually expanding into an undertaking and mortuary firm. In 1868, federal troops demanded the removal of Confederate soldiers' remains from Rock Quarry Cemetery, a national burial ground now known as the Raleigh National Cemetery. Henry Brown and others relocated 494 bodies to land owned by Henry Mordecai, which later became Oakwood Cemetery (tag). After Henry Brown’s passing in 1879, his son John Wesley Brown continued managing the family business. The company moved several times before settling in a state-of-the-art building for its time, boasting features like a heating system, gas and electric lighting, and even an elevator. It handled the challenges posed by the Spanish flu epidemic in the early 20th century. In 1928, the H. J. Brown Company relocated to Hillsborough Street, leaving this building vacant. The building subsequently housed a series of banks, with Raleigh Industrial Bank being one of them. In the early 1970s, Fidelity Bank carried out a renovation that aimed to modernize the building's exterior. Fortunately, in 2012, both the interior and exterior were meticulously restored. After five generations, now known as the Brown-Wynne Funeral Home & Crematory, the company started by Henry continues to operate as one of the oldest businesses in the city of Raleigh. Today, this historic building is home to the fine dining restaurant fittingly named Death and Taxes. We extend our gratitude to Ashley Christensen Restaurants for entrusting us with this remarkable location. We eagerly anticipate uncovering the mysteries that surround it. |
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