Below, we have compiled records, documents, and maps that are related to the history of the 4th Ward. Many of these records include documentation of the City of Raleigh’s urban renewal project that ultimately led to the destruction of the Fourth Ward neighborhood, particularly under the supervision of the Raleigh Redevelopment Commission.
You may see that the term “Southside” is used to refer to the Fourth Ward neighborhood in many of these documents. This term is considered by many to be an exonym, or a forcible naming of the neighborhood on the part of the Raleigh Redevelopment Commission to refer to the planning project and development plan for the neighborhood. For many residents, however, the term “Southside” does not reflect the neighborhood's rich history, and it should instead be referred to and remembered as the Fourth Ward.
Furthermore, documents from the City of Raleigh were collected via volunteers by hand, and some documents may be cropped, partial, or difficult to read. We will continue to update this page periodically as further documents and better document visualizations become available. If you are interested in aiding in the collection of records or transcribing records, please reach out to us by submitting a contact form.
As of now, this searchable archive is best suited to be accessed via desktop browsers.
