Progress 2012
The Daily Dispatch
downtown henderson
3
Sunday, August 26, 2012
tourism
Regaining a foothold Kerr Lake, Satterwhite Point Marina continue to reel ‘em in
BY MARTIN FISHER
according to a recent statement from North Carolina Gov. Bev PerTourism in Vance County is a due. All 100 counties across the vibrant and growing boost for the state saw increases in visitor spendeconomy, with revenues for 2011 ing in 2011. back above 2007 and 2008 highs. Seven counties showed doubleThe 2011 total of $41.76 million digit increases compared to 2010, in 2011 was up a million from 2008. according to data from the N.C. That is also a 7.8-percent Depar tment of Comincrease from 2010’s merce’s Division of Tour$38.74 million, and more Tourism Director ism, Film and Spor ts t h a n $ 5 m i l l i o n b e t - Nancy Wilson said De ve lop men t ci te d in ter than the 2009 year that some special Purdue’s statement. total that was a five-year events are Mecklenburg, Wake throwback from steady and Guilfor d counties yearly gains, according emerging to p o s t e d more than $1 to the N.C. Depar tment generate new billion in visitor spendo f To u r i s m r e s e a r c h tourism dollars. ing in 2011, and Dare, data. The inventory of Buncombe, Forsyth and H e n d e r s o n - V a n c e events includes Durham counties posted County Chamber of Commore than half a billion July 4 merce Director John as brought in by tourist Bar nes said he saw the celebrations, visitors. numbers as a tribute to fishing Purdue said that intranatural advantages of tournaments that state and interstate tourthe lake attractions and run from May ists combined to spend redoubled efforts to pro$ 1 8 b i l l i o n l a s t y e a r, through October mote those advantages. a new record and up 8 and the annual “I’m glad to hear it is percent from 2010, with going up,” Bar nes said. Show, Shine, Shag local tax revenues boost“I think Ker r Lake and and Dine event, a ed to nearly $561 million the Satter white Point main event for and state tax receipts to Marina is an attractive the region. nearly $1 billion. draw. It is a beautiful “Tourism means neararea and one of the main ly 200,000 jobs across reasons for the increase.” Nor th Carolina,” Purdue said in a Tourism Director Nancy Wilson prepared statement. “The depth of said that some special events are the state’s appeal is reflected in the emerging to generate new tourism fact that ever y corner of North Cardollars. The inventor y of events olina benefited from tourism. More includes July 4 celebrations, fishing tournaments that run from May than 37 million people experienced through October and the annual what makes this state such a desirShow, Shine, Shag and Dine event, able destination.” War ren and Granville counties a main event for the region. “We use Kerr Lake as our big- grew at nearly an equal measure to gest marketing attraction,” W il- seven other counties that Purdue son said. “Being up 7.8 percent mentioned as achieving a doubleover last year is wonderful. It was digit increase last year: War ren a tough year for the economy in generating a $23.6 million econom2011, and 2010 was a tough year ic impact, up $2 million from 2010, or 9.6 percent. also, but tourism held its own.” Granville County rose 9.5 perW ilson echoed Bar nes’ sen timents that the tourism success cent from $37.3 million in 2010 to stor y is important for ever yone liv- $40.9 million in 2011. Granville briefly surpassed ing in Vance County. “ E v e r y d o l l a r t h a t a v i s i - Vance in 2009 tourism impact numtor spends here is a new dollar bers by not declining as much from brought in to Vance County,” Wil- 2008, then Vance posted a faster son said. “It’s a boost for our mer- rebound in 2010. chants.” Contact the writer at mfisher@ Vance County tourism recover y is part of a statewide phenomenon, hendersondispatch.com. DISPATCH STAFF
DAILY DISPATCH/Mark Dolejs
A view of downtown Henderson looking north from South Garnett Street.
Changing landscape Names and purposes change, but variety spices the heart of the city
BY DAVID IRVINE DISPATCH STAFF
Downtown Henderson is a mixture of the old and the new, of for-profit and not-for-profit, of large spaces and cozy spaces. The heart of downtown Henderson is Gar nett Street with its iconic clock tower over the firehouse. But it branches off in both directions on Montgomery, Breckenridge, Winder, Horner, Orange and Spring streets. Par ts of the historic area seem little changed from the past. The old train station has been converted into office space. But the railroad tracks are still there, carr ying an occasional freight train through town. The tracks wait expectantly for the high-speed trains that will carr y passengers from Henderson to Raleigh or Richmond in the future. Some of the big stores moved out or closed years ago. Names like Roth Stewart’s and the Charles Store are now memories. Filling those spaces today are businesses that local entrepreneurs have created to offer new kinds of products and services to the community. Phil Har t of Dataforge said, “Older people remember it (downtown Henderson) and say they would like to see it like that again.” That’s not likely to happen, but the downtown is developing its own character. In many ways, Dataforge represents the new trend, offering computer sales and service as well as website design and hosting, a departure from the big stores of the mid20th centur y but reflecting the technology and entrepreneurial spirit of the modern age. Other downtown spaces are filled by eateries. In contrast to the chain restaurants found at interstate highway interchanges, downtown eating places — such as George’s, Greenway’s, Spiritual Connections Cafe and the Lotus Lounge Day Spa and Cafe — have their roots in the area. The esthetic side of downtown living has not been neglected. A mural on the Montgomer y Street side of Thomas Appliance Sales and Service depicts a street scene. A plaque attributes the mural to the Downtown Mural Project, dated 19931994, and states that it was supported by the Vance County Arts Council with funds from the Grassroots Program of the N.C. Arts Council. Another mural, stretching four stories high, depicts a night scene of Henderson and can be viewed from William Street. The historic Rose Gin & Supply Co., which closed its doors this sum-
mer after 128 years of service to the community and region, is commemorated on the Court Street side of the former Uptown Rose Restaurant and Pub building, now Mahogany’s. Other murals found in the downtown area are the Bull Durham mural on the Quick Print building and Gupton’s Sporting Goods. Emrose Park is located on South Garnett Street squarely in the middle of the downtown area. The park contains benches, a gazebo, greener y and a mural on each of the adjoining buildings. George Havin, of Rosemyr Corporation, said the park was named for his grandmother and was developed for the benefit of the citizens of Henderson. The downtown Henderson skyline is marked near the north end by the clock tower and near the south end by the Vance Furniture building, advertising its “five showroom floors.” The buildings in between have a lower profile. But the upstairs of a number of them have been renovated to provide apar tments for people who value proximity to the amenities of a small urban setting. Jason Stewardson, chairman of the Downtown Development Commission, said downtown residents “represent all walks of life. There is a grandmother, a police officer, a teacher, a sheriff’s deputy and several young pr ofessionals at ACS (Affiliated Computer Services).” Har vin said the three upstairs apartments completed by Rosemyr “look good, they’re convenient and they’re cheap.” The spot at the corner of Breckenridge and Wyche streets once graced by the Embassy Theater is now the home of the Henderson Police Depar tment. Across Breckenridge Street, a project named for the old theater created the H. Leslie Perr y Memorial
Librar y and anticipates the realization of the second half of the project, a performance auditorium. Five County Community Operations Center and the Vance County Senior Center occupy half of the 100 block of South Garnett Street. Farther south, Variety Wholesalers occupies half of the 200 block, space its predecessor, Rose’s Stores, had claimed in years past. Realty firms and attorneys are doing their share to fill spaces in the historic downtown area by maintaining offices conveniently located near the Vance County Courthouse. Downtown Henderson even has its own college. Based in the Gateway building, St. Augustine’s University has offered extended studies in Henderson since 2009 to supplement courses offered at its main campus in Raleigh. Across the street, the Learning Center of fers younger students opportunities to hone their skills, perhaps aiming them toward that university of another. Richard Henderson said Gateway builds affordable homes in A.L. Harris Estates in Henderson. “We’re trying to get people qualified,” he said. Symbolic of the changes occurring downtown is the story of what is now called “The Professional Building, Circa 1920” at 309 Wyche Street. The mosaic floor in the entryway gives its origin: “Home Telephone & Telegraph Co. and Associated Companies. Local and Long Distance Telephone. Connects with Bell System.” Those connections are no longer relevant in the digital age. But the building is still relevant. It has been renovated and now houses Triumph, a human services provider, preserving a Henderson landmark.
DAILY DISPATCH/Mark Dolejs
A fisherman prepares to go out on the lake at Kerr Lake’s Hibernia recreation area.
Contact the writer at dirvine@hendersondispatch. com.
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