As stated in Tony P. Wrenn, Wilmington, North Carolina: An Architectural and Historical Portrait (1984), Brady received a building permit in 1905 to construct this house of brick and artificial stone, the latter of which was quite a novelty at the time. He may have resided there for a brief period, but in 1907 he sold it to H. L. Henderson. The Wilmington Dispatch of May 28, 1903 described patent stone as “a hollow concrete stone, which was recently introduced in Wilmington,” and was “cheaper than brick and as durable as stone.” There are a few other examples in Wilmington buildings, but this is one of the few intact, large dwellings made of it. The blocks are cast to resemble rough-hewn granite, complemented by cast window and door lintels and decorative frieze. It likely served as an advertisement of the material—and Brady’s skill in building with it.

The former furniture store, a 3-story brick building, has seen many uses over the years. The Wilmington Morning Star of May 31, 1922 reported that Brady was the contractor and Lynch the architect for the building that replaced one that had burned.

The Bijou (pronounced by-joe), which opened in 1906 in a tent-like building, was the first movie theater in Wilmington and one of the first in North Carolina. The owners subsequently erected the more substantial, classically detailed building, which opened in 1912 and seated 600 people. See http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20150730/tbt---bijou-was-wilmingtons-first-theater, which also features an old photograph of the theater.) The Wilmington Morning Star of February 2 reported that B. H. Stephens had drawn the plans and R. H. Brady had the contract for the erection of the “new Bijou Theatre building” to be built at the site of the existing theater and explained, “It will be built around the present theatre building and will necessitate the closing of the Bijou for only about two weeks later on in the course of construction.” The Wilmington Dispatch of May 31, 1912, reported on its grand opening, handsome architecture, and good ventilation. The theater was torn down in 1963; a city park on its site retains a tile mosaic from the old theater, which reads “Bijou” (Wilmington Star-News, July 30, 2015).

McMillen planned the castellated stucture of stone-faced concrete blocks for the “Brigade” founded by local businessmen to serve underprivileged local white boys. It contained recreational facilities, an auditorium, and a dining hall.

A panel on the building lists public officials of the time of its construction as well as H. L. Bonitz, architect, and R. H. Brady, contractor. The Wilmington Messenger of June 30, 1907, had reported that the design was by architects McMillen and Cooper, architects, of this city.” Bids had been received from contractors, including Brady, but all were considered too high. In a second call for bids, R. H. Brady took the commission on a bid of $7,500; the architects were still identified as Cooper and McMillen (Wilmington Morning Star, July 11, 1907). A few months later, Brady was reported as the contractor for a combination fire station and market house, at a cost of $10,000. For some reason, the city decided to employ a different architect: Henry E. Bonitz. On July 24, 1907, a notice to contractors announced invited bids for the consolidated market and fire house at 4th and Campbell streets, with plans and specifications to be seen at the office of H. E. Bonitz, architect. On December 22, 1907, the Wilmington Messenger reported that the new facility—“without a doubt the finest and best equipped fire engine house in the state”—was nearly complete and described its modern features in detail. Curiously, this account reiterated that the plans were drawn by Charles McMillen and the contractor was R. H. Brady. The Wilmington Messenger of April 5, 1908, however, reported that building was begun on October 5, 1907 and completed on April 2, 1908, and that the architect was H. E. Bonitz and R. H. Brady the contractor. McMillen, who left Wilmington in 1908, had evidently exited the project and Bonitz took it over.

The home of Brady and his family for many years, the two-story frame house was altered repeatedly during their occupancy and thereafter. Tony P. Wrenn, Wilmington, North Carolina: An Architectural and Historical Portrait (1984).

The 1841 masonic hall was thoroughly remodeled in 1907 with a simple tan brick façade, but it retains a cornerstone inscribed “St. John’s Building/1841.”