It's been said that a house is just a building. It becomes a home when the people who live in the house become the true character of the building.

The same can be said for factories. Factories are generally conceived of as buildings with machinery that manufacture materials and commodities.

But factories, taking into account the personalities of the people who spend such a high percentage of their lives in the factory buildings, can take on the character of a home.

In the 1940's, when the baseball minor league team, the Durham Bulls, were actually living out the roles that were portrayed in the movie, Bull Durham, Isiah Parrish was living on a tenant farm in Durham County. His father was employed at the American Tobacco Company's factory as a supplemental job to his farming occupation.

Isiah's family's landlord, the man who owned the farm on which they tended, was also a foreman at the American Tobacco Company factory. Sadly, during this period of time, Isiah's father died. One can imagine the burden placed on the young men in a family during the late 40's and early 50's of the last century with the loss of the head of household.

To help Isiah's family, the landlord of Isiah's family who was doubling as a foreman at the factory, gave a job at the cigarette factory to Isiah, helping haul hogsheads of tobacco from the warehouses to the manufacturing facility.

After a few years, when Isiah was in a better position to improve his standard of living, he moved to New York and worked in a tool manufacturing facility. Homesick for Durham County, he returned, worked for the Coca-Cola Company and reared two daughters who graduated from Durham's Hillside High School.

Now at an age when most men are retired, Isiah is back at work for one of the sub-contractors restoring the American Tobacco Historic District.

Asked about his perspective on working to rebuild a facility that once was home to him for five out of every seven days over a half century ago, he says, "I just never thought a factory like this would shut down in Durham. I thought it would always be here. I just couldn't believe it when the company left Durham."

But he added, "I am so happy to see this happening. It is going to be so pretty and so nice for Durham."

The true story about the history of this tremendous facility and it's restoration is not just about big architectural plans and entrepreneural enterprises.

What gives life to this project is the life of the people who worked here for decades - and now, like Isiah Parrish are back working here with pride - pride that is evident every time a camera focuses on their work.



The restoration of the American Tobacco Historic District is also a restoration for the lives of so many people, so many people with humble beginnings like Isiah Parrish - as well as the lives of those with the great visions and plans that are making this happen.