by amanda | Sep 11, 2019 | News & Events
Join us in honoring Downtown’s history and explore the past with our series Museum Mondays!
Thank you to our friends at the Fuquay-Varina Museums for the historical images and information.
http://fuquay-varina-museums.org/
Head on over to their website or Facebook page to follow or arrange a tour to learn more!
This building is a combined freight/passenger station of frame construction used by the Norfolk and Southern and Durham and Southern Railroads. It has overhanging metal roof with large triangular brackets, clapboarded sides with sliding freight doors, three-sided bay on north elevation and novelty-sided addition to west end with matching freight bays.
The Varina Union Station depot was built in 1910 after the original depot was destroyed by a fire. The depot was known as a Union Station because it served both the Durham & Southern and Caraleigh to Charlotte trains.
The depot located at the crossing of the two rail lines was identified as Varina Station for the nearest post office in 1899. With the adoption of this railroad station as Union Station for both rail lines came the growth of Broad Street, residential areas, and a post office all know forever as Varina. Courtesy Betty Bruce Howard Hoover
Varina Union Station
Circa 1910
Rail section foreman, Stephen Brantley Adcock and crew installed tracks sometime after new 1910 was built. Courtesy Cheryl Adcock Clark
In 1911, John Eual Brown and his family came to town to manage the depot. John was the Durham & Southern agent and telegraph operator while his wife Beatrice was the office manager. John remained the agent until 1959 when he was replaced by his daughter Katherine. Katherine remained the railroad agent until the depot closed in 1977.
After 1977 the depot was abandoned. Several local organizations attempted to save depot. Evenually Akins Properties successed in moving the depot away from the tracks and closer to Broad Street. The depot was restored and is now home to Aviator Taphouse.
Source: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for Varina Commercial Historic District, United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1989; A History of Fuquay-Varina, Shirley Mudge Hayes and Shirley Danner Simmons, 2009.
by amanda | Sep 9, 2019 | News & Events
Join us in honoring Downtown’s history and explore the past with our series Museum Mondays!
Thank you to our friends at the Fuquay-Varina Museums for the historical images and information.
http://fuquay-varina-museums.org/
Head on over to their website or Facebook page to follow or arrange a tour to learn more!
Thompson-Howard Building
Circa 1914
Pictured above (L to R) A.G Elliot, Sr., unknown, and Walter Howard. Courtesy Kitty Lane Holleman
The Thompson-Howard building was home to one of the longest continuously operated businesses on Main Street.
Augustus Green Elliott, Sr. moved from Granville County to Fuquay Springs sometime prior to 1914. Elliott purchased the Fuquay Drug and Seed Company and the Judd-Ballentine Drug Company and moved the combined businesses into the Thompson-Howard building in 1914.
In 1918 the Fuquay Drug Company was renamed Elliott’s Drug Store. The upstairs has provided space for town offices, a recorder’s court, a book store, lawyers, doctors, and dentists. Elliott’s Drug Store remained in the Elliott family until 1989 when it was purchased by Curtis and Kitty Holleman and rename Elliott’s Pharmacy. The Elliott family still owns the building.
While Elliott’s Pharmacy closed in 2013 many locals still share fond memories of times spent there at the lunch counter.
Elliot’s early counter as it appeared after rebuilding from the 1916 fire. Behind the counter was Roy Powell while Otis Coley worked the cash register. Seated were Cap Fuquay, Len H Aiken, Andrew Wester, unknown, and Henry Talley. Courtesy N.C Archives from Aiken photos
Walter Howard worked in the store at Elliott’s for over fifty years although he was not a trained pharmacist. Courtesy Killy Lane Holleman
Sally Beck Fitzhugh prepared food behind the counter at Elliot’s for the lunch crowd. Sally was one of the Beck girls of Cardenas who had earlier been partners in the Pine Cone Tea Room. Courtesy Beck Family
Check out the interior of Elliot’s in 1961! Here’s Walter Howard with A. G. Elliott, Jr. behind the counter preparing drugs. Courtesy Heulon Dean
Thompson-Howard Building in September 2019.
by amanda | Sep 2, 2019 | News & Events
Join us in honoring Downtown’s history and explore the past with our new series Museum Mondays!
Thank you to our friends at the Fuquay-Varina Museums for the historical image and information.
http://fuquay-varina-museums.org/
Head on over to their website or Facebook page to follow or arrange a tour to learn more!
Bank of Fuquay
Circa 1910
The Bank of Fuquay is the oldest continuous business in Fuquay-Varina. The business was incorporated on June 10, 1909 and opened in one room while the Bank of Fuquay building was constructed. The bank was responsible for several firsts including: Maude Van Hook becoming the first woman cashier in North Carolina and then the first woman bank vice-president in the state, as well as Robert Prince becoming the youngest cashier in the state.
In 1946 the building was damaged by fire, remodeled and expanded. In 1979 the bank merged with Fidelity Bank and moved across Main Street.
The Bank of Fuquay building now houses The Abshure Realty Group.
