Planning for the Past

Examining Tourism in Greenville

Flower, Ethan

Explore Greenville’s past using the map below! Twelve locally-significant sites have been mapped out in the easiest walkable order. The one criterion for what sites were showcased was their proximity to Dickinson Avenue, one of Greenville’s longest and most active roadways.

The study area for the map starts in the W. 4th St. area of Uptown and travels downwards to the intersection of Dickinson Ave. and Albemarle Ave.

Dickinson Ave. has served as an extremely important area to the overall formation of Greenville's local character. In a more current sense, the street's connection of two thriving areas of modern Greenville - the Uptown and the Medical areas - makes Dickinson one of the most important thoroughfares in the city. In a more historic sense, Dickinson runs directly through the oldest parts of town, and through many areas of special importance to Greenville's African American community.

Follow the points on the map to experience the past and present of the area. The expected walk time for the whole tour is approximately 40 minutes.

Buildings and Structures in the Dickinson-Uptown Area Included on the Map

Smith-Williams Building

Photo by Ethan Flower

The Roxy Theater

Photo by Cabell Johnson, ECU Digital Collections, https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/53295

The Hines Building

Photo by Ethan Flower

The Brown Building

Photo by Ethan Flower

Higgs & Taft Building

Photo by Ethan Flower

Smith-Williams Building

Photo by Ethan Flower

Part of the Greenville Tobacco Warehouse Historic District, the Smith-Williams Building is one of several industrial buildings in the area that was used for the treatment and production of tobacco products in the early 20th century. Despite the fact that this area of Greenville has undergone significant developments over the past several years, this expansive structure remains a callback to Greenville's agri-industrial roots in the tobacco industry.

The Roxy Theater

Photo by Cabell Johnson, ECU Digital Collections,  https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/53295 

The Roxy Theater was formally opened in 1948 to provide Greenville's African American population with a live arts venue. It was officially closed for business in the 70's, when it then began being used as a community meeting space. It is still used to this day as a local church, so entry into this building is not always guaranteed. Though the eponymous "ROXY" signage has since been removed from the buildings exterior, the theater still provides a historically-important space for Greenville's African American community to meet.

The Hines Building

Photo by Ethan Flower

The Hines Building was originally constructed in 1916, and was used for commercial purposes including a furniture display warehouse, clothing boutique, and marketing firm. The space is not currently being used, as it is undergoing renovations. However, the exterior architectural styles that set this structure apart from others - Romanesque Revival-style designs with a high arched doorway and multiple other recessed entrances - can still be seen passing by the building. Stay tuned to see how this space will be utilized by Greenville in future years!

The Brown Building

Photo by Ethan Flower

This building was built in 1923 to serve a commercial purpose, and has been used as a grocer, dry goods market, two different department stores, and now serves as the headquarters for Taft Family Ventures, a local real estate investment firm. The side of the building now showcases a vibrant Día de Los Muertos inspired mural of a woman with skull-like facial makeup and a plethora of decorative flowers.

Higgs & Taft Building

Photo by Ethan Flower

Originally built in 1916 to be a furniture gallery for the Higgs & Taft Company, this building is now the home of the Dickinson Avenue Antique Market. This historic location is one of the best in the area, as it occupies a prominent corner between Dickinson Avenue and W. 8th Street.

Local Public Art Installations: How Greenville's Public Art Provides Invaluable Insights into the Needs and History of the Local Community

Five Points Plaza Archway Public Art Project

Photo by Ethan Flower

Greenville Museum of Art

Photo by Ethan Flower

"School of Flying Fish" by Scott Eagle

Photo by Ethan Flower

Emerge Art Gallery

Photo by Ethan Flower

Live United Courtyard, Uptown Greenville

Photo by Ethan Flower

Jonathan Bowling's Animal Farm

Photo by Ethan Flower

"Billy Taylor" by Jason Coale

Photo by Ethan Flower

Five Points Plaza Archway Public Art Project

Photo by Ethan Flower

The Five Points Plaza Archway Public Art Project was launched in 2015 as a collaboration between the City of Greenville and artists from Emerge Gallery & Art Center, and is meant to showcase the work of local artists. The art being displayed is changed every few years to keep the more heavily-populated area of Uptown feeling current and lively, and you can find these murals displayed outside the Starlight Café running along W. 5th Street.

Greenville Museum of Art

Photo by Ethan Flower

The Greenville Museum of Art is one of the premier collections of North Carolina artwork on the eastern coast of the state. Currently, the museum houses five permanent art collections featuring local work and artists, with several other temporary exhibits being included. The museum is currently open Tuesdays through Saturdays features free admission! Spaces like museums offer great ways to familiarize oneself with local culture in an easy and contained way.

"School of Flying Fish" by Scott Eagle

Photo by Ethan Flower

This mural is located at the Art Lab on Dickinson Avenue, and was painted in 2021 by local artist and ECU faculty member Scott Eagle. It was funded through the Emerge Arts Council and can still be seen, undamaged and in full color. to this day.

Emerge Art Gallery

Photo by Ethan Flower

The Emerge Gallery and Art Center is the headquarters of the non-profit organization of the same name, which displays, teaches, and educates about art. You can’t miss this building running along Evans Street, it’s rainbow! Local art is routinely displayed in side the building, and one can often find even more showcases of local art displayed in Emerge's windows.

Live United Courtyard, Uptown Greenville

Photo by Ethan Flower

Greenville’s only current “pocket park,” this 2,000 square-foot expanse of open space is located at the heart of Greenville’s Uptown district. It features a permanent hopscotch pattern and decorative speaking tubes, making this space just as interesting to children as it is to Greenville's adult population. The whispering gate is themed in metallic flowers, and was created by local artist Jim Gallucci - the same artist who created the infamous whisper benches scattered across Greenville's Uptown.

Jonathan Bowling's Animal Farm

Photo by Ethan Flower

An installation showcasing the inanimate metallic style of local artist Jonathan Bowling, this section of Uptown features a “zoo” of animals and other creatures, including knights, dragons, and centaurs. This sprawling outside installation has helped to breath new life into the still-developing area of Greenville's Uptown, as it provides a fun and interactive way for individuals to experience Greenville's artsier side. Purchases of any of the displayed structures are allowed, provided the interested party contact Mr. Bowling directly.

"Billy Taylor" by Jason Coale

Photo by Ethan Flower

This mural in Greenville’s Uptown features one of Greenville’s more famous natives, African American jazz pianist Dr. Billy Taylor, painted by Jason Coale, local director of the Whirligig Stage. Dr. Taylor is an important figurehead in the artistic community of Greenville, as he helped establish the ECU School of Music jazz program, and he personally mentored Dr. Caroll Dashiell, the current head of the same program.

"In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy." - John Sawhill

Dickinson Through the Years

In March of 2007, the North Carolina State Preservation Office listed the Dickinson Avenue Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. Its addition to the list was petitioned for by a local individual due to the Dickinson area's history of industrial use and varied levels of cultural importance. Many buildings - such as the historic Higgs & Taft and Brown Buildings - are still in use today, as spaces for local businesses. Other buildings, such as the Smith-Williams Building, still sit vacant, waiting for future opportunity.

Initial planning for development along Dickinson Avenue began in 2013. However, North Carolina DOT plans were suspended due to the concurrent construction of Greenville's 10th Street Connector, which was designed to minimize traffic congestion in the growing Uptown. The area is now widely under developmental ownership of East Carolina University, as the University continues development of its Intersect East mixed-use district.

Today, Dickinson remains largely in development, but how the area has been developed so far points to a blossoming future urban core full of eateries, apartments, local businesses, and utility providers. Below, satellite imagery provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), shows how the landscape along Dickinson changed between the years 2016 - at the height of construction - and 2021.