Honoring the Past, Building a Future
Thomas Street When I first discovered Happy Hill a few years ago, I felt something stir. Not just in the architecture, but in the rhythm of the place. Along Star, Harris, and Vyne Streets, the shotgun houses still stand. Some are tired, some are empty, but all of them speak to me. With each visit, … Continue reading A White Lady With Camera Again: Happy Hill Left To Sit In It’s Ashes
Star Street I don’t rattle easily. But last Thursday evening, after sharing a slice of pizza and plenty of laughs with Denise, the energetic Fun Director at Sky-Vue Skateland, I drove to the Happy Hill neighborhood in Rocky Mount. I had my phone camera in hand, planning to check on the state of things since … Continue reading A White Woman with a Camera: My Happy Hill Mission
Mainstreetrockymount.com is where I write about preservation, community, and the stories that hold our past and future together. I write about values, vision, character, and courage, that revitalization always needs. As I write about saving the past to build a better future for Rocky Mount, the National Democratic spokesmen cheer for everyone but America. As … Continue reading Rocky Mount: When the Spotlight Finds No One Ready – 7-29-25
The Taste of a Summer Plum The taste of biting into a summer plum brings me home to a time of bare feet, buzzing cornfields, and moments that seemed small then but glow bright in memory now. I stood at the sink this morning, eating a plum, its sweet juice running down my chin. And … Continue reading Stepheny Checking In From My Fishing Hole On Monday
It’s one of those warm Sunday nights when the cicadas hum in the trees, and the porch swing creaks like an old friend. The radio drifts in and out with soft music, while the scent of Sunday supper still lingers, fried chicken and biscuits from grandma’s kitchen. Spending a few afternoon hours washing the car … Continue reading The Sweet Remembrances Of Childhood Summers 7-20-25
