Did you know that Fayetteville once had a trolley line running down Hay and Person streets?
Come down to the Headquarters Library at 300 Maiden Lane to see the Local & State Department’s new exhibits, located on the second floor, and discover the past of Fort Bragg, Hay Street and other parts of Cumberland County.
Two tall display cases focus on the history of the Fort Bragg area, starting with the indigenous people of the woodlands who lived in the area before European contact. On display are artifacts from the early settlements of the 1800s that are on loan from Fort Bragg’s Cultural Resources Management Program.
These artifacts show how local inhabitants depended on agriculture and produced naval stores from the plentiful forests of longleaf pine trees.
The exhibit also chronicles the development of Camp Bragg during World War I, first as an artillery range and later as a permanent Army post. Lastly, it highlights the process of the installation’s upcoming name change from Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty.
Our newest blue wall exhibit allows you to step back in time and explore the history of multiple structures and sites. Take a virtual stroll from east to west, starting with Liberty Point at 145 Person St. and ending in the 500 block of Hay Street at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. See how the site of Rick’s Lounge, once a well-known topless bar, became home to the Fayetteville Police Department. Read about the evolution of Huske Hardware House, built in 1903, from a general hardware store to a bustling restaurant and entertainment venue.
The Local & State History flat-case exhibit showcases old postcards that provide a window into the past and display information about an area that no other object provides. The postcards show old buildings and sections of Fayetteville, providing a window into life from more than 70 years ago.
The display in the Local & State History Room traces the location and building history of Fayetteville State University. What started in 1867 as the Howard School, located in a two-story building on Gillespie Street, has since expanded to cover 156 acres and more than 35 buildings. The exhibit outlines FSU’s progression from a small school that had trouble finding a stable location to the prominent university it is today.
Next time you’re in the area, stop by the Local & State History Room to get a glimpse of Fayetteville’s past and present. For more information, call 910- 483-7727, Ext. 1365.
The staff of the Local & State History Department at the Cumberland County Public Library wrote this report.
