Shirley Simmons
Main Street over the years has undergone many changes. This short article is intended to publicize a few of the smaller changes which did not fit into the narrative in the earlier Main Street Articles. Pictures are preserved and treasured in the museums collection.
First the Bank of Fuquay established in 1909 to provide funds to pay for the Fuquay Warehouse tobacco market and other business opened in one small room or building. Immediately construction began on the large brick building at the corner of Main and Raleigh Streets.
This imposing structure of light brick was joined by a smaller one story to the south and then the Wade Theater. All of the structures in the middle of that block were destroyed in the 1946 fire, including the Wade Theater and the Proctor Barbour tractor sales, leaving only the bank on the north and the Proctor Barbour large retail store on the south.
Following the fire, the Bank of Fuquay expanded, constructing an adjoining addition to the south which is visibly different from the original structure. This housed offices and work at the bank and remains intact today as part of the Ashure Realty establishment.
The block was rebuilt into businesses between the bank and Proctor Barbour. The entirety of the rebuilt block of buildings to the south in 1946 and the original large Proctor Barbour building were destroyed in the Fire of 1977. Thus the parking expanse from the bank to Vance Street which exists today.
Farther north on Main Street, a picture shows the structures of Planter’s Warehouse and the new Fuquay Theater built by Wade in 1946 on the east side of Main Street. On the right we can see Powell’s Cafe, the Fuquay Springs Baptist Church, and both the Gulf (later Ashworths) and ESSO (Clarks) stations. Clarks Station and the church were noted in an earlier article as having existed where the Fidelity Bank is now located
The Tastee Freez stood all alone on the right with fields of tobacco behind where the shopping center is today.
On the South, Fuquay Ford occupied the entire section today housing the Mason Jar and Pass It On. The Lawrence House was to the south of the Ford place.
The last structure in this short section of change is the Fuquay Furniture Company which was located where we find the parking lot and Fainting Goat on South Main today. This structure was also destroyed by fire leaving a vacant area between what was originally Roger’s Esso and the original American Legion building.
Our goal is to try to post and describe our historical town as often as we have materials. Fuquay-Varina has a rich history which we want to share. Keep artifacts and pictures coming to our collection! When owners post one, please try to send us a copy, too.