2010 saw the most rapid growth in areas of art, culture, and nightlife in the seven years that I’ve lived here. Some of these changes, developments, and explorations into history were documented here.

We’ll take a look at some of the articles from 2010 in these categories: Architecture, Art/Guerilla Art, Raleigh’s Losses, Urban Exploration, the Uptick in Nightlife and Culture, and the Unique.

Art and Architecture

The biggest Raleigh event in architecture was the unveiling of the new North Carolina Museum of Art. It is one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen, in any city.

The biggest art event (for us, anyway) was the re-lighting of Joe Cox’s Color Wall in the book stacks at D.H. Hill Library.

The most discussed architecture article by far was Danielle’s article on the Water Garden. The loss of the modern buildings and landscaped plant life was a hot topic amongst nearby residents apprehensive about future development plans.

Guerrilla Art

Not to be confused with the talentless assclowns that vandalize businesses and private property with nonsensical words, a graffiti artist left a beautiful mural in a hidden drain wall near Edna Metz Wells Park. Nearby residents contacted me to see if I could help preserve it as clearing work was being done to the park. In the end, it was removed.

Guerrilla artist and urban explorer Joe Carnevale fashioned the knight above for a ‘Scrap to Sculpture’ contest. Sadly, he has indicated he will be leaving Raleigh after his recent graduation.

A little over a month ago, someone spelled out “Raleighwood“ in the same style as the iconic sign in Hollywood on a grass hill on Hillsborough Street. Contrary to some speculation, it wasn’t Joe Carnevale. The real creator hasn’t stepped forward to claim responsibility, and it was removed several weeks after first appearing.

The Loss of Raleigh Personalities

Sadly, 2010 saw the loss of some folks that  added a significant amount of character to the city of Raleigh.

Russell Lee, aka “Sho Nuff“, was someone that so many downtown folks knew. He always rode a tricked out bicycle, shared words of wisdom, and was a soul singer. He passed away after being involved in an accident on his new scooter.

Eduardo Catalano in front of the Raleigh House. Image courtesy News & Observer Publishing Co.

In later years he offered a generous sum of money to NC State to build a hyperbolic paraboloid pavilion in the Court of Carolinas. Some faculty at the school balked at the idea of putting something in the green space, and once again Raleigh squandered a golden opportunity.

In the months leading up to his passing, George Smart of Triangle Modernist Houses was working with him and officials from NC State to build a new hyperbolic paraboloid house. His passing cut those efforts short.

Peter Eichenberger, third from the right. Image credit: Raleigh Boy

Goodnight Raleigh contributor (and contributor to most other area blogs, in fact) Peter Eichenberger passed away on Thanksgiving Day. He had a passion for local history as well as world events, and was an insanely intelligent and loquacious individual. His way with words and facts as well as personality is sorely missed by all that knew him. The folks at New Raleigh put together a wonderful tribute to the man that had an impact on so many Raleigh residents.

Urban Exploration

Urban Exploration was the initial focus of this blog when I first started it in 2007. Although we’ve generally moved away from this topic, there were still a few articles that showed parts of the city that few see.

Peter Eichenberger’s final post to Goodnight Raleigh was a fascinating look at the hidden and secret tunnels of Raleigh.

The Lawyer’s Building was torn down in 2009 along with the Garland Jones Building, but in May I posted some photos taken from the inside before demolition. The lower level was once the lobby to the long gone State Theater, and I provided some photos of it as well as historical photos of the theater itself.

In July, Raleigh Boy stumbled upon what appears to be an underground shrine. There was much speculation, but there is no conclusion of its purpose or who put it there.

Nightlife and Culture

2010 was a watershed year for Raleigh in terms of night life and downtown culture.

The annual Raleigh Wide Open festival was much larger than previous years, complete with some beautiful circus acts; including fire juggling, acrobatics, and other feats of amazing dexterity. Sid captured some amazing photos in the Maximus Circus part of the show.

In April, William Hardy of TriangleFixies put together a fantastic short video with scenes around Raleigh. It’s probably the best video depiction of downtown and bike culture from Raleigh I’ve seen.

2010 saw the return of King’s Barcade. My favorite part: the awesome muppets that sit above the dance floor and bar area.

During the first snow of 2010, I tried my hand at shooting and editing video. You can easily tell I have little experience in this area, but was able to capture a few interesting moments of how downtown residents reacted to snowfall.

The Unique and Strange

I was finally able to get the story of the car with two front ends and no rear ends off of Johnson Street. Turns out, it was once the star of Raleigh parades.

About six months ago, I investigated the claim that Raleigh was home to the world’s smallest naval base.

Summertime saw Raleigh’s annual Kerby Derby, an odd and quirky neighborhood festival and parade.

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2010 was a mixed year for Raleigh. We lost a few individuals that contributed to that culture, but also grew as a city in arts, music, and culture. The continuing population influx will only add to this growth — making Raleigh an exciting place to be.

I’d like to thank other Goodnight Raleigh contributors for sharing their photos, knowledge, and experience so that our readers may also learn more about the city they live in. Additionally, I’d like to thank readers for participating in the discussion, giving feedback, and also sharing knowledge about topics posted here.

From all of us here, we want to thank you for reading and being a part of our community. Best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2011.

Read our New Year’s post last year, 2009: Raleigh in Review