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.
by amanda | Aug 26, 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!
Second Bank of Varina
Circa 1925
In 1925 the second Bank of Varina was constructed by A. Y. Hairr. It is a two-story yellow brick building located at the corner of Broad Street. Ransdell Road. J. Herbert Akins was President and Chairman of the Board from 1947 until his death in 1965. Herbert’s son-in-law D. Watson Adcock joined the firm in 1962 and his son Sherrill served briefly as Chairman of the Board.
The Bank of Varina merged with Southern National on May 27, 1969 but remained in the same location until moving to Main Street in 1972. Upstairs in this building were offices and a room where the Varina Woman’s Club first met.
Tsuru Sweets & Coffee
Circa August 2019
What’s there Today Tsuru is a gourmet confectionery that takes pride in crafting unique, indulgent treats using only the highest-quality cacao and ingredients from around the world. They take the power of beautiful confection seriously, using sweets as a means of empowering, inspiring and respecting the world around them. Tsuru honors the building’s history with photographs and showcasing the bank’s vault!
Behind the Name Tsuru means “cacao” in Bribri, a Costa Rican indigenous group known for its cultivation of the unique plant. In their mythology, there were once three sisters that caught the attention of the gods. Among them was Sibu, the creator of all things and most powerful. He claimed them as his own. Two of the sisters were blessed with unearthly beauty, while the third possessed a beautiful, bright and humble spirit. Her name was Tsuru and she loved all things great and small. Sibu tested the sisters taking an ugly human form. He approached the women, only to be rejected by the two beautiful sisters because of his appearance. Tsuru saw his inner beauty and accepted him. Sibu took Tsuru as his wife, turning her into the most beautiful of the three sisters and filling her life with riches and beauty.
Fuquay-Varina Museums Facebook Page
by amanda | Aug 19, 2019 | News & Events
Join us in honoring Downtown’s history and explore the past with our new series Museum Mondays!
Mitchell Chevrolet
Circa 1948
Mitchell Chevrolet, founded in 1934 by J.M. Mitchell, moved to this new location in 1946, featuring a modern showroom and garage. Sons Buford and Wallace Mitchell continued to operate the family business until it was sold in 1993. Mitchell Chevrolet employees sit for a group photo in the picture above. Joseph ‘Mac’ Mitchell’s sons Buford and Wallace worked here for their father as boys and later after returning from the Korean Conflict. They recall some of the subjects of this photo to be (L to R), (unknown), Joseph ‘Mac’ Mitchell, Ethelene Stewart, Ray Hare, Paul Smith, Robert Tingen, Robert and Ray Steed and ‘Red’ Everette Smith. No doubt, mainstays Romy Burt Sr. and Clay Wilson are two of the subjects in this photo.
(Photo provided courtesy of the Mitchell Family: Buford Mitchell, Wallace Mitchell and Portia Newman)
Revelry Barber & Shave Shop
August 2019
Revelry Barber & Shave Shop’s customers line up outside for a haircut in the same fashion Mitchell Chevrolet employees did in the photograph above! Revelry, Original Strength Institute, Greater Than, and Jebb Graff occupy the building today. Some of the Mitchell Building’s history is showcased in the side entrance. We invite you to explore this building’s history and visit these businesses Downtown! Head to the Fuquay-Varina Museums to learn more about the history of Downtown!
Fuquay-Varina Museums Facebook Page
