Selling Dreams – 304 Pearl Street Rocky Mount, NC – Part 3

“This is the place of places and it is here.”
Gertrude Stein

Today I am introducing a new category to Main Street Rocky Mount…selling dreams. The name was inspired by a chapter in David Halberstam’s book, The Fifties. (Please take a minute and click to read what I have written about the book.) Halberstam writes about Ken Jones at General Motors who wanted to use the new medium (TV) to tell stories visually and to minimize words. If there was to be any storytelling let the camera do it. Enter Cinematographer, Gerry Schnitzer, whose work reminded Jones of Norman Rockwell. Together, they produced their first 1958 Chevrolet ad that included music we remember,  “See the USA in Your Chevrolet.”  Schnitzer said, “Jones and I were selling dreams, not cars.”

Visiting Villa Place Historic District I found THE ‘place’ as Gertrude Stein says at 304 Pearl Street.  I like to think this blog, Main Street, is about selling dreams of preservation and revitalization. In 1999 the current owners started to refurbish this wonderful home and their dreams for it have been realized. Now it is time for someone else to write the next chapter at 304 Pearl Street. Set in the historic district of Villa Place, perfectly located three blocks from the downtown core area, this home, and many of its neighbors that have been restored are all about dreams. Enough words, let the photos speak for themselves.                                                  304 Pearl, Rocky Mount, NC

This view up the drive is one of my favorite scenes in Villa Place. The Borrowed View (a gardeners term) shares the painted beauties beyond. It reminds me of the colors in a pencil box.

     The Next Door Neighbor

Click Here to see the lovely exterior and interior photographs provided by Janet Watson.