In the display window of Fannye's are things remembered.

Mannequins dressed in the finery from a store which will be reopened, one side a flooring business and the other a restaurant.

Main Street Director Lance Jenkins points out the mannequins are located on the side in which the restaurant will be located.

“This building is history to me,” Jenkins said during a tour of the avenue at the request of rrspin.com.

The color scheme for Fannye's.

Plans for the color scheme of the building are already on file, one which will accentuate the details of the structure.

Jenkins hope it will also spur interest in the downtown section of the avenue, which was the first to get new sidewalks, street lamps and vintage speed limit signs.

Across the street from Fannye's, the marquee of the People's Theater juts over the sidewalk, the ticket booth intact. “I would love to see that reused,” he said.

There is some brainstorming going on about the theater, Jenkins said, but it will be a slow process that will most likely have to involve the North Carolina Rural Center.

100 block

In the 100 block of the avenue, Jenkins is pleased with what he sees. “We've got Food Lion and McDonald's. It's nice to have our eateries here,” he said, pointing out Abner's and the Atlas seafood market further down.

Banners

A sampling from a vintage Aladdin catalog.

In making plans for the future development of the avenue the Main Street program is preparing to unveil new banners which will honor Sam Patterson, the Canal Museum and the many Aladdin Kit homes that can be found in Roanoke Rapids.

Jenkins said he hopes the banners will be up before the May 18 Friday Night Live concert.

1000 block

The sidewalk improvements are expected to begin soon on the 1000 bock, Jenkins said.

“(Public Works Director) Larry (Chalker) is doing a great job. They are backed up.”

The new project will be done in parts so it won't interfere with all the businesses. “We're going to be laying brick patterns a little differently and doing it in sections.”

McCrory and markers

The outline of a Trailways sign still remains.

One of the reuse projects the Main Street program is eyeing is the McCrory building currently owned by Roy and Janet Dixon. “The plan is to make that a business incubator which will help a lot of people.”

Jenkins said the Dixons also want to see the lunch counter in the building put back to use. “That's likely to be a big one to help create jobs.”

The Main Street program also wants to do walking tours featuring the kit homes with willing property owners putting up markers.

Jenkins said he is also trying to figure a way to market the Crystal Lee Sutton/Norma Rae saga, a task that has become difficult since the demolition of the Rosemary Mill.

Another little known part of history Jenkins would like to commemorate through at least a marker is the story of Sarah Keys, an African-American soldier who, upon arrival at the old bus depot in the 1100 block in 1952 was ordered to give up her seat near the front for a white Marine. She refused and in 1955 won her case in Keys versus Carolina Coach Company. This was before Rosa Parks, Jenkins explained, but did not get as much attention. “I think it was because North Carolina wasn't in the Deep South. That was something big in the Civil Rights movement that happened here.”