Thousands of commuters speed past it every single day. Pedestrians hurry by, unaware of its presence behind the black iron fence. Though it is located in the center of downtown, few, if any, are aware of this hidden Raleigh landmark.  But, if you can read Latin, then perhaps you can can figure out its location. Read more »

The historic Briggs hardware store building was erected in 1874. It is now home to the Raleigh City Museum.

In August 1865 Thomas H. Briggs and his business partner James Dodd opened a hardware store on Fayetteville St. — just four months after the surrender of Raleigh to occupying Union troops. How could Briggs possibly finance such an enterprise at a time when all of Raleigh lay destitute after four long years of civil war?

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The gem on Hillsborough St. in 1962 — at night, the way Joe Cox intended it. (Photo courtesy the NC Office of  Archives and History, State Archives.)

Forty-seven years ago next month, Branch Banking and Trust Company  opened its  “State College Office” at the corner of Hillsborough St. and Oberlin Rd. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held with great fanfare, with the mayor of Raleigh, the chancellor of NC State and the president of BB&T in attendance.

Though the pick and shovel groundbreaking had occurred several months earlier, the bank’s opening “broke ground” in another, more significant way — it was the first Raleigh bank to feature a work of public art as an integral part of its design — a dazzling stained glass mural.

“The mural represents the growing cooperation between artist and architect that is rapidly spreading throughout the country,” the N&O reported in an article on the event in 1962.

The architect of the State College Office was F. Carter Williams; the artist who designed the stained glass mural was none other than the renowned Raleigh artist, color theorist and School of Design professor, Joe Cox.

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