Durham’s historic chicken shack gets landmark status after decades of impact on the community

After decades of serving as a cornerstone of community, history and resilience, Durham’s famous Chicken Hut has been officially recognized as a Local Historic Landmark. The City Council voted unanimously to award the designation, which honors the restaurant’s cultural and political legacy within the city’s Black community. The announcement brought owner Tre Tapp to tears as he reflected on his parents’ dream finally becoming a reality.

“I am overwhelmed with emotions,” he said. “It’s my parents’ dream. They have worked so hard in the city of Durham and to do so much for the community, this is definitely an honor.”

Set up in 1958 by Claiborne and Peggy Tapp, the Chicken Hut, originally known as The Chicken Box, became more than just a soul food restaurant. During the Civil Rights Movement, the Tapp family provided meals to activists and served as hosts for NAACP meetings and community organizing efforts. “To me, the Chicken Hut is not just a restaurant, it’s a living institution,” said Melvin ‘Skip’ Alston, co-founder of the International Civil Rights Museum. “It has been a gathering place for generations of Durham families… and a proud example of Black entrepreneurship and excellence.”

The path to historical recognition was years in the making. The Chicken Hut first applied for landmark status five years ago, but faced delays due to volunteer turnover at Preservation Durham, the nonprofit organization that led the research and nomination process. That effort was reignited when Julianne Patterson and Julia Lasure of Preservation Durham unearthed archival materials documenting the Tapp family’s decades of service and activism.

Mayor Leonardo Williams, owner of his own restaurant in Durham, reflected on the Tapp family’s influence. “When my wife and I said, ‘We’re going to open a restaurant,’ the first thing we did was look at how Black-owned restaurants are doing in Durham,” Williams said. “I remember her saying, ‘We have to do it like The Chicken Hut.'”

Today, The Chicken Hut remains a hub for community and comfort food, serving hundreds of customers daily from its Fayetteville Street location. As Tapp continues his parents’ legacy, the historic status ensures that their story – and the restaurant’s deep roots in Durham’s civil rights history – will continue to inspire generations to come.

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