Goodnight, Raleigh!

Installing The Flag In Time For The Fourth

2008-07-04T13:33:00.003-04:00

Greg stands back and observes as his coworker Charlie installs a new flag on the First Citizens building on Fayetteville Street.

The Boylan Wye: Why The Wye?

2008-07-03T16:01:00.007-04:00

Next time you are up on the Boylan Ave. Bridge, or on the deck of the Boylan Bridge Brewpub (opens Aug. 25), taking in the view of Raleigh's ever-growing skyline, cast your eyes downward and you will see the skeletal remains of part of Raleigh's industrial past. Just where the CSX and Southern RR tracks emerge from under the bridge is the Boylan Wye. At this point the tracks diverge, forming a Y shape, or "wye." It's hard to image now, but this area was once a hub of some of Raleigh's railroad-related industries. Booming from about 1900 into the 1950s, the wye was the locale of several coal yards, ice plants and iron works. At one time a mattress factory was here, and later a concrete plant. These businesses all used the the wye as a switching yard and as a means to move freight in and out. Passenger trains also used the wye to back in and out of the Union Station, then located two blocks away on Nash Square. Nowadays all the hubub is gone. You can still find remnants of the coal yards and the concrete plant, and there's even the concrete foundation of a turntable down there. As the images of Raleigh's railroad history pass from thought, your eyes cast upward now, taking you back into the 21st century.

The Player's Retreat - Oldest Bar In Raleigh

2008-07-02T06:38:00.003-04:00

Any time an organization or establishment uses the phrase "the oldest ___ in ___", there is bound to be controversy. The title "Oldest bar in Raleigh" is no exception. Mitch claims as much for his bar, near the spot on the menu that also mentions the appearance in Bull Durham. While it may be the oldest bar that is still in the original structure, the Jolly Knave was sold to Mitch after the PR was established. Red's, also owned by Mitch, has been closed for more than 30 years. Another local bar that claims the title is The Office Tavern. There seems to be dispute because they relocated from five points to the Johnson Street location long ago.
It seems as though any person that has lived in Raleigh for a significant amount of time knows the inside of Player's Retreat. The web site states that it is a Raleigh tradition since 1951.
While I haven't lived in Raleigh very long, this place is special to me too. Once I had an instructor who moved class to this location to discuss topics over drinks--before noon! In addition to the history of the place, there is something special about the atmosphere too. Similar to Mitch's, it is chock full of eye candy attached to the walls with phrases such as Our waitresses go from zero to bitch in four seconds. It is quite large inside, especially given the location. It has a decently sized pool room, a separate dining room, outdoor seating, and a spacious bar.
One of the most interesting parts of the PR is the computer with free internet access and printer. The internet (Google in particular) has made us realize that any disagreement over a fact, figure, or history item can be settled in a matter of seconds with almost zero effort. Coffee/tea houses, restaurants, and bars in particular have always been filled with people having philosophical debates of every variety. This frequently leads to one person disagreeing with another person's presentation of the facts of an event. By placing a computer with internet access and a printer for free public use, you are assured there will never be a conversation's completion left hanging upon promises of future consultation with Google or Wikipedia. As far as I know, it is the only bar in the area with a free public computer.
Bert, one of the PR's bartenders, was wearing a shirt that said Beer - it's not just for breakfast anymore. He's been around for quite some time and has some unique information on the cultural history of Raleigh. He told me stories of a bar on Hillsborough Street with a swimming pool, the old headshop underneath of Daryl's (now Red Hot & Blue), and some of the large name musical acts that came through Raleigh in the mid 70s to early 80s. When asked about Mitch's claim about being the oldest bar in Raleigh, he stated that

Mitch's isn't the oldest bar and he knows it. It's been around for 30 years. There is some debate about The Office Tavern, but they moved across town.

With an established reputation for great food, vegetarian options, the largest selection of single malt scotches in North Carolina, fantastic drink specials, and a well designed web site--they have all of the ingredients for the the best bar in Raleigh.

What are some of your memories of the Player's Retreat?

Before Raleigh, There Was Bloomsbury

2008-07-01T07:55:00.005-04:00

This historic marker is located on the corner of Boylan Avenue and Morgan Street. The inscription reads:

On and around this spot stood the old town of Bloomsbury, or Wake Court House which was erected and made the county seat when Wake County was established in 1771.
This place was the rendezvouz of a part of Governor Tryon's army when he marched against the regulators in 1771. Here met the state revolutionary assembly in 1781, and to this vicinity was removed the seat of government when the capital city of Raleigh was incorporated in 1792.
This memorial placed by the Bloomsbury Chapter Daughters of The Revolution A.D. 1911.

Downtown Live At Moore Square

2008-06-30T07:39:00.002-04:00

This past Saturday was the Bud Light Downtown Live series, a free public concert put on by Deep South Entertainment. On average around 8,000 people fill Moore Square to enjoy beers, bands, and good times.
The Raleigh Coinneseur also posted footage of the event.

The Most Beautiful Building In Raleigh

2008-06-29T19:02:00.000-04:00

Last week we featured the Ugliest Building In Raleigh, so this week we're featuring the most beautiful. Even in an incomplete state without the lighting, it is something truly fascinating. Currently without backlighting, colors still roll and move across the surface like the reflection of a bird flying over water. Once the illumination switch is flipped, Raleigh will have one of the most awe inspiring pieces of public art that is part of an urban landscape.
If you have not been keeping up with new developments in the area, this is the Shimmer Wall, an enormous piece of art on one side of the Convention Center covering an entire city block. It was designed and is being assembled by Clearscapes, an architectural and design firm located downtown.

"We wanted a wall that would be dynamic, that would move, that would shine," said Thomas Sayre, principal with the Raleigh architectural firm Clearscapes.
"So all afternoon, every afternoon, this surface gets bathed in light."
The idea is to take thousands of steel strips, maybe more than a million, each about the size of a shirt pocket. Half would be buffed shiny, the others would be dull, dimpled metal. They would hang on rods along an entire side of the convention center, covering a city block.
When the wind blows, they would swing, creating a wavy, glimmering image, reflecting sunshine during the day, and letting light show between their cracks at night.
Sayre said the shimmery strips would be spaced to form a larger picture. Light and dark tiles would function like the ones and zeroes of binary code -- a nod to the region's tech sector.
"Part of our job is to think, 'How can this be an interesting wall?' " Sayre said. "I hope when you go home and your kids say, 'How was the convention, Mom?' you can say, 'There's this really cool thing out front.' "
News & Obsever, 2005

To see convention center construction at various stages of progress, check out the façade in Janurary, the entire convention center (from a viewpoint now blocked by construction), and at a distance from the Boylan Avenue bridge (second photo).

Note: These images were taken the day before completion. Head over to New Raleigh to see images of it now that it is complete as well as a time lapse video of construction.

Martin Street Loses The Scaffolding

2008-06-29T07:49:00.001-04:00

After a long time with scaffolding covering the sidewalk of Martin Street between Fayetteville and Wilmington Streets, the Mecca Restaurant sign is now visible again.

House Fire On Clark Avenue

2008-06-28T00:45:00.009-04:00

There was a large array of police officers and firefighters battling a house fire ~~2700~~ 2514 Clark Avenue at around midnight Friday. I do not know the specifics, but I believe it is some sort of halfway or rehabilitation house. I've seen a couple of the residents asking for money along Hillsborough Street before. I talked to a few of them, and they said that it was caused by someone that lived there. ~~The person alleged to have started it was hauled off by police, unharmed.~~ . He appears to have been smoking in bed.The folks I spoke with said that they don't see how it will be habitable again, as there was a lot of smoke damage, melted walls, etc.

UPDATE: An anonymous person emailed me with the following information:

Allen was taken to The Burn Unit in Chapel Hill with 3/4ths of his body covered with 2nd and 3rd degree burns and if he lives through it it will be at least two months he is in The Burn Unit at UNC Hospital.

I'm going to guess Allen was the person who was smoking in bed and caught the place on fire. We certainly hope that he has a full recovery. There is no doubt he has a long journey ahead of him.

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Reminiscences of a Raleigh Boy, Part 2

2008-06-27T07:36:00.002-04:00

The Olivia Raney Library in the course of its demolition in 1966.

Same site 42 years later: At night, but no Christmas parade!

The Capitol from Hillsboro St. in 1965.

Same view today.

Christ Church about 1968 with art deco apartments in background.

Christ Church at night in 2008.

First Presbyterian about 1968.

Same view at night today.

WW Vass house in 1971, shortly before its demo. One of the last two residences on Capitol Square. The state history museum occupies the site today.

Yours truly and bros visit Capitol Square in 1966. Gotta go see the Peanut Man! The Labor and Agriculture Buildings are in the background.

Part 2: The Center of Town

Capitol Square (or, more properly, Union Square) has been both the geographical and political center of downtown Raleigh ever since the city was surveyed and laid out by William Christmas in 1792. With the massive Capitol building at its center, the square is anchored at its four corners by four imposing church buildings. Encircling the square are various somber stone and brick state government buildings, many of which are fine examples of the particular architectural period during which they were built. The first of these to be built, in 1888, was the Supreme Court building (now Labor); the last, the Museum of History in the 1980s. For most of the 19th early 20th centuries Capitol Square was surrounded by residences, a three-story brick hotel and the four churches. Later on Raleigh’s public library, an art deco apartment building and the YMCA were built on the square. These are all gone now. Government expansion beyond the limits of Capitol Square did not occur until 1962 with the completion of the Legislative Building, straddling (then) Halifax Street one block to the north. The remaining two residences were demolished around 1971.

When I was a kid in the ‘60s Capitol Square was a big part of my childhood. My Dad was employed by the state department of Archives and History, and his office occupied a former rooming house in the first block of Halifax St., which was largely still residential at the time. Sometimes instead of taking the bus home from school at Hugh Morson, I would walk down to his office and get a ride home when he got off work. In the meantime I would amuse myself in the Square by climbing on the statues or buying a nickel bag of peanuts from the “Peanut Man” to feed the pigeons. The Peanut Man always occupied a spot in the square at the head of Fayetteville Street, dispensing his wares from a silver-colored charcoal-fired roaster, and surrounded by flocks of pigeons. Kids loved him! Back then pigeons pretty much had the run of the place, roosting all along building parapets, soiling statues and the like. The state later initiated a crackdown in the mid 1970s to get rid of them, and the first thing to go was the Peanut Man. I don’t think there’s any pigeons left in Capitol Square today.

All three of the state museums, History, Natural History and the Art Museum, were located on Capitol Square, so a family visit to any of them necessitated a romp in the square as well. The old cannons and guns mounted there were a special attraction to my brothers me, and a visit to the Peanut Man was a given. My family attended Christ Church right there across Wilmington St., and not a few times a pal and I would skip Sunday school and while away that designated holy hour in Capitol Square instead.

The original Olivia Raney Library fronted on Capitol Square at the corner of Hillsboro Street. It was housed in a beautiful Italian Renaissance style building constructed in 1899 and had a red tile roof; the Olivia Raney was Raleigh’s first public library, and only public library until the county system was set up in the early ‘70s. (The Harrison Library for African-Americans was on South Blount St opposite Moore Square, but I don’t know if it was part of the city system then or not.) Anyway, we were regular patrons of Olivia Raney. Back then the Christmas parade was held at night rather than on Saturday morning as it is now. My family would all head downtown for that event, and while Mom went shopping, Dad took my brothers and me to see the parade. We always staked out the corner at the Olivia Raney because Dad figured that from that vantage point we could enjoy it three times instead of just the one: once, while it progressed up Hillsboro St; twice, while making the turn in front of the Library (…watching the marching bands make that turn was quite impressive, BTW), and finally watching it pass by right in front by the curbside!

Later, when I was in junior high school at Morson, and my two buddies and I went on our weekend exploratory forays downtown, we always met in centrally located Capitol Square, as there was always something to do while waiting for the others to show up.

Nowadays, with so many of the familiar landmarks gone, Capitol Square is a different kind of place for me. It is still a verdant oasis in the center of town, though, and if I squint hard enough, I can just make out the Peanut Man, stationed by his charcoal roaster, surrounded by flocks of pigeons!

Fayetteville Street Then And Now

2008-06-26T07:34:00.000-04:00

Karl's photo of Fayetteville Street in 1968

John's photo of Fayetteville Street in 2008

It's really surprising that after all that Fayetteville Street has been through over the course of 40 years, so many of the original buildings remain. Perhaps similar to almost the entire city of Asheville, this area suffered from economic stagnation for a few decades (after being closed to auto traffic) which prevented new construction from displacing the old. Whatever the cause, it's nice to see a large, nicely preserved slice of the past juxtaposed against progress and development in the present.

Bird's Night Out On The Town

2008-06-25T23:26:00.003-04:00

Pictured above are Danny and Sam. Sam is a 12 year old Moluccan Cockatoo. He only knows "hello", but he knows it well and is very friendly.

The Ugliest Building In Raleigh [UPDATED]

2008-06-25T06:32:00.004-04:00

This is the Bath Building. I'm not sure what state business or research takes place here, but it is pretty dreadful looking from the outside. If it had more windows then it would probably blend in with the rest of the bland state government buildings around it.
What do you think is the ugliest building in Raleigh?

UPDATE: Karl has provided the following photo of the bath building when it was new in 1972:

1301 Hillsborough Street

2008-06-24T17:18:00.003-04:00

1301 Hillsborough Street is quite the anomoly. I've driven by this place several times and wondered if people lived in the house. As evident in the photos above, there are lights on in the place at night. It remains to be seen if it is actually occupied. There is a parking lot in the back with cars parked in it, but they could be there for other businesses.
What is particularly interesting about this house is the fact that it is subjoined to the storefront that is on Hillsborough Street. The storefront is currently The Jackpot, an indie club with a nondescript façade. It is located near The old Staudt Bakery, and like that old building, it is mostly hidden while in plain sight. This may have helped it escape the demolition spree of the mid to late 60's.

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Winstead Wilkinson Architects

2008-06-24T06:44:00.001-04:00

According to RaleighMSA, they ~~are working on~~ designed Trilliums Place, A condo/townhome community on Hillsborough Street near NCSU, East of the intersection of Hillsborough and Gorman streets.

Winstead Wilkinson Architects
201 N Harrington St
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 832-2878
Get directions

Fayetteville Street Tavern

2008-06-23T20:20:00.003-04:00

My brother (from out of town) and I were exploring downtown this past weekend, and we found ourselves trying to find a late dinner past the typical kitchen closing time (11PM). Fayetteville Street Tavern serves a full menu until 2AM, so we decided to give it a try. The food was good, it was priced right, and the service was outstanding. Sitting outside gives you have a great view of the skyline. They also have several vegetarian options available. It is worth checking out.

If you'd like to see this outside view from a different angle, check out my post of the same building from higher up from October.

Fayetteville Street Tavern
112 Fayetteville St
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 833-1722
Get directions

Clarion Tower From A Distance

2008-06-23T06:42:00.001-04:00

In addition to the Clarion Tower, the windowless at&t building stands out in the photo above.

The Sketch Artist Of Fayetteville Street

2008-06-22T20:32:00.003-04:00

Daniel is an artist depicting daily (or nightly) urban life with pencils and ink. He has beautiful drawings of many parts of downtown Raleigh. Above is a cityscape of Fayetteville Street and an almost isometric view of the Post Office. He is currently selling his works for $20 each, the proceeds of which will fund future illustrations with canvas. He has been in Raleigh 4 years.

Reminiscences of a Raleigh Boy, Part 1

2008-06-20T07:24:00.011-04:00

Andrews-Duncan House in 1967

Andrews-Duncan House in 2008

Lewis-Smith House in 1965, when originally located on Wilmington St

Lewis-Smith House now located on Blount Street

Heck-Andrews House in 1967

Heck-Andrews House in 2007

The governor's mansion in 1967, before the fence

Richard Haywood House in 1967, cor Edenton and Blount

J.H. Pou house in 1965, cor Blount and Polk (gone)

Part 1: The Blount Street Saga

North Blount Street’s glory days as Raleigh’s premier 19th century residential district are long gone… Even before state government began its systematic destruction in the early 1960s of the architectural gems that once lined the street the glitter had already faded. For the past 40 years she has held her ground, though, like a proud gap-toothed dowager, barely on life support from the state, patiently awaiting her final demise.

When I was a kid in the '60s N. Blount St. was the primary access route from my neighborhood near Lions Park into downtown Raleigh. I used to marvel at all the stately homes that graced the street, inventing names for many of them…the Heck-Andrews house became “The Blount Street House,” another towered confection the “Addams Family House,” the old Meredith building: “The Castle.” My family attended church downtown, so I looked forward to the weekly visit to my Blount Street fantasyland. Later, I attended junior high at the old Morson (High) School over on E. Hargett St., riding the city bus with the other kids in my neighborhood. Now my weekly visits became a daily event. That’s about the time the state went on its demolition spree, clearing land for its planned grandiose “state government office complex.”

The first to go were two huge twin Second Empire style houses across the street from “The Castle.” They looked like giant frame versions of the Hinsdale house (i.e. now the Second Empire restaurant) on Hillsboro St. (Story was they were built ca 1875 by twin brothers, hence their identical appearance.) Every day as the bus went by, I witnessed their gradual destruction bit by bit until there was nothing left at all. Then the rest of the northern half of that block went. A state government surface parking lot is there now.

About this time I got my first camera: a Kodak Instamatic. That’s when I began to document as many of the Blount Street wonders as I could. On weekend forays downtown I would walk the length of the street all the way from New Bern Ave. out past Peace College snapping black and white photos along the way. Then in 1967 “The Castle” went… I was heartbroken! Then the entire 200 block across from the Governor’s mansion went; then the mansion across the street from the Andrews-Duncan house; then one-by-one, more houses went, cherry-picked by the demolition crews as the state acquired more and more property. I dreaded the day I would come downtown and my beloved Blount Street House, too, would have disappeared!

Finally, the madness abated when the state finally realized that a grandiose, landscaped, lake-studded, government office park downtown was unfeasible. (We did get the “Stalinesque” government mall, though, which wiped out another historic neighborhood; but that is another story.) Coincidentally, about this time sentiment favoring historic preservation began to surface: the City of Raleigh Historic Sites Commission was created in 1967; The Society for the Preservation of Historic Oakwood in 1972 (That neighborhood came a hair close to being wiped out too, but that’s also another story.) Then in 1972 the Heck-Andrews House was designated an historic site by the City of Raleigh Commission. Soon the remaining Blount Street houses were likewise designated, and that’s what you see there today. Wherever you see a parking lot now, that is where a Blount Street House once stood. Although the state subsequently moved a handful of properties to Blount St. in order to save them from demolition (oh the irony!), the area seemed destined to further stagnate as state government use became entrenched.

Fast-forward 30+ years, and a real revitalization seems finally at hand, spearheaded by the Blount Street Commons project. Now back in private hands, Blount St. will be restored, so to speak, in an attempt to preserve what is left and to provide in-fill sites for endangered properties and style-appropriate structures. With the Jordan and Merrimon houses now on their way, it looks like the gap-toothed dowager is finally getting a much needed boost in life support, as well as some long overdue implants!

Views of the Casltle 1966-67 (RIP)

Open Mic Night @ The Berkeley Cafe

2008-06-19T06:38:00.004-04:00

One of the greatest treasures of Raleigh's night life is Open Mic Night at the Berkeley Cafe. I've covered the Berkeley before back in September but open mic night is something truly special. Just as you may imagine, it's a night in which musicians of all varieties can perform for a rather large audience simply by signing up. It is usually an eclectic mix of music of several stripes, not music limited to one specific genre.
If you ever find yourself bored on a Wednesday night, I highly recommend checking it out. You won't be disappointed.

217 W Martin St
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 821-0777
Get directions

The Forgotten Bar Of Hillsborough Street

2008-06-18T06:36:00.004-04:00

The bar pictured above has been forgotten and abandoned for some time. It is very easy to miss if you aren't looking for it, but is located directly beneath Mitch's Tavern. It was purchased by Mitch some time ago, and has sat idle ever since. I've heard from various friends that have worked for him over the years that he bought it simply to prevent any sort of competition near his business. Many have also speculated that he is simply not ambitious enough to do anything with it.
Can anyone shed light on this particular place's history?

Moore Square Station Transit Mall

2008-06-17T06:42:00.001-04:00

Every bus that travels through downtown makes a stop at Moore Square Station, CAT's transfer facility. It is located across from the Moore Square Park by City Market. You can enter the station from Blount Street, Hargett Street, Wilmington Street or Martin Street. Directories are posted at all entrances.

The Moore Square Transit Station Information Booth is open from 7 a.m.- 6 p.m. Monday - Friday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Saturday and it is closed on Sunday. The Customer Service Represenative can answer questions about CAT and provide brochures. The Information Booth also sells Weekly and 31-Day passes, multiple ride tickets and ART tickets.
-- City Of Raleigh

Moore Square

2008-06-16T06:58:00.000-04:00

One of two surviving four-acre parks from Raleigh's original 1792 plan, the wooded square was originally surrounded by a residential neighborhood. During the latter part of the 19th century, Moore Square gradually transformed into a decidedly commercial district. Larger storefronts appeared on nearby Martin and Davie streets displaying wares of merchants, grocers and artisans.

Agricultural enterprises also took hold, drawn by the construction of the Mission style City Market in 1914. New bank buildings and the nearby City Auditorium further nurtured commercial activity. By the 1930's, the area was fully part of the city's business core. During the 1980's, the neighborhood was transformed into the Moore Square Art District you see today.

-- Moore Square Art District

In the lower right you can see the Skyy Dogs By Joe van in the usual spot on Davie Street. This perspective also emphasizes the number of fluroscent lights in the park.

A. Brothers Associates Building

2008-06-15T08:15:00.005-04:00

A. Brothers Associates occupies part of this building on the corner of Martin and Blount Streets. Their web site is incredibly vague when describing what specific sort of design they specialize in, but their clients include companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, The NC Aquarium, and the Cary Heritage Museum.

A. Brothers Associates
123 E Martin St
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 834-3964
Get directions

Wilmington Street Skyline

2008-06-13T08:54:00.004-04:00

This is an updated view of a similar photo I took in October. Unfortunately I didn't include the top of RBC Plaza under construction as I did now.

The Corner of W. Martin And Salisbury Streets

2008-06-12T07:58:00.003-04:00

This post kicks off a forthcoming series of photos taken from RBC Plaza. This photo and several others are also available as prints.