NORTH MAIN STREET FROM ACADEMY TO JONES ON THE EAST SIDE
The most recent news change involves the area which ran from Academy to Jones as one travels South on Main. This is the potential site offered for multi-use development by the town in recent news broadcasts.
Our earliest pictures show the street scene believed to be during 1927 when Main Street was being paved the first time. Townspeople and school children came out to watch the big event.
The brick building located to the north of Planters Warehouse bearing the words ? Equipment and Manufacturing has not been further identified to date. We hope someone may be around who remembers this establishment. It was there when the street was paved. Donald Cotton remembers a grocery store in that vicinity but is not sure of the brick building.
Planter’s Warehouse occupied this area in the 1927 snow storm and is still there in the 1959 Dean aerial photo. There are two houses which we have not identified beyond the warehouse toward Academy Street on the left. We know Mr. & Mrs. Prince lived on the right in the house pictured here (it was later moved over near the Consolidated school.)
South of the warehouse, Louis Wade constructed the second Fuquay Theater following the fire which destroyed the original theater on South Main between the Bank of Fuquay and Proctor Barbour. We have records that this theater reopened in 1946, built the same year the fire destroyed the first Theater. Wade sold operation to several out-of-town firms over time.
This building was eventually closed as a theater and sold at auction. A picture of the building and bill of films exists in the museums display.
It is this area of N. Main Street which has completely vanished and is now “open for development’ that we focus on next. Parker’s Furniture moved from across the street into the old Wade’s Theater according to Charles Parker in the 1970’s. Parker constructed another metal building next door which housed their furniture business until they sold to the town.
Next door on the south side, Mitchell Chevrolet had a parking lot for their automobile business. During the Centennial Celebration, the Centennial Commission sought this corner desirous to commemorate the Centennial Year for the next 100 years. On that was built Centennial Square which has become a concert venue and parking lot. This planned commemoration of the centennial for the next 100 years may be short lived, the future uncertain to date.
On the site of the Planter’s Warehouse, a new post office was constructed in 1965. This was the last business constructed by A. Y. Hairr within the town. After the Post Office moved to Judd Parkway, the Post Office building was converted into the FV Police Station.
With the moving of town hall into the John Byrne Building (which was constructed by Bob Barker originally), the Police Station removed to Judd Parkway and the old Post Office became vacant until it was demolished by the town in 2024.
Next door, Hardees became the first fast food in town under Mayor Alfred Johnson. Last this site was the foot doctor’s domain until the town was able to purchase this lot. When the town completed purchase of this block the current open space was the result along N. Main. Today a developer is sought to construct a multi-use building upon most of the area according to the town’s advertisement.
The area to the north on Main was in 1927 open land. This became the Farmer’s warehouse, then Cornell Dubilier, then Bob Barker and a new owner today. This includes the two warehouses along Woodrow Street and Jones, now occupied by a church and other businesses. Barker added what is now the John Byrne Building on the corner of what was warehouse property. The was purchased and remodeled by the town to house municipal functions in 2022.
This east side block of North Main has thus shown multiple “faces” over time. What the future face might become is to be determined. Main Street is indeed “a changing.”