Honoring the Past, Building a Future
“We do not have government by the majority, we have government by the majority who participate.” — Thomas Jefferson In the last Ward 3 election, there were 2,556 registered voters. Yet only 778 actually voted, about 30%. That means fewer than one third of the ward determined its future. We can realistically expect between 600 … Continue reading Stepheny Reflection on Ward 3’s Voter Turnout October 7, ’25
Friday afternoon, August 8 in Rocky Mount. I was downtown to photograph the building at 112 NW Main Street. In the stretch of street where I stood, I counted six cars. Six. The building I came to photograph, and the ones reflected in the glass across the tracks, looked like a patchwork quilt stitched by … Continue reading A ‘Raggedy Ass’ Friday In Rocky Mount, NC
Two small moments—one in a movie theater, one on a London street, remind me that what we preserve aren't just buildings, but stories that happened in just the right place, at just the right time, and they become a kind of personal landmark. I’ve always loved the movie 84 Charing Cross Road, the quiet affection … Continue reading Why Main Street Memories Deserve a Place in Preservation
A glance out my window reveals more than the turning of seasons—it offers a quiet conversation between past and present. On the glass shelf, a row of antique cranberry-glass tumblers catch the light, their delicate hue echoing the blooms of the camellia bush just beyond the glass. The repetition of color, a serendipitous outcome when … Continue reading Through the Window: Reflections on Spring and Preservation
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING WITH STEPHENY ON MONDAY - DECEMBER 17 This post is partially about a used book I bought. A paperback. You are familiar with how the cheap paper turns brown with time. (This is why that happens: Paper is made out of wood that consists of cellulose and the wood component lignin. Both these … Continue reading Your Christmas Shopping Consultant: Recommending A Book for Christmas – Dean Rusk – Extraordinaire
The Heart of America: Flags and Historic Homes on Election Day Stars and Stripes on Main Street: A Celebration of Heritage and Hope A Salute to Election Day: Flags, Heritage, and Hopes for America Election Day’s Colors: Watercolors of Pride, Patriotism, and Place Flags on Front Porches: Election Day in Full Color Symbols of Freedom: … Continue reading With Flags Flying It Is Election Day: Enjoy Watercolors of Pride, Patriotism, and Place
Main Street Rocky Mount 