1950s Raleigh

After the Raleigh courthouse was dismantled in the late 1800s and Raleigh surrendered its town charter, James M. Coleman acquired the town square property. Coleman owned a large estate on Raleigh-Millington Road. Both Coleman Road and Coleman Elementary School were named in his honor.

Around 1895, Coleman split his large home into three parts and moved the largest part to the vacant town square. In July 1955, it became Raleigh's first public library. Here are some pictures of the old house in 1955 when it was being fixed up to be used as the library:

The library moved to its current location in 1966. The house stood until the late 1980s, then was torn down. Today a warehouse sits in its place, but the steep concrete steps that led up to the front door are still there:

Submitted by: Gayle Crouch : 25 Jan 2008, 15:14

I remember going to this library with my mom, Georgia Foust. That would have been late 50's early 60's. She worked there when I was in elementary school. She volunteered her time. I don;t believe there was any such thing as a "paid" librarian back then.

Submitted by: jamie boston stone : 09 Dec 2008, 18:42

I remember it as well. It was a beautiful building. And how about the record shop in the back of the laundromat??? What a great time it was back then. Are you related to Robert Foust?

Submitted by: Gayle Crouch : 09 Dec 2008, 21:10

Yes, Jamie, I am Robert Foust Jr's sister. Of course that would make Robert Sr, my dad. He owned the car lot in Raleigh, Raleigh Motors. I remember you and Paul well. I do remember the record shop behind the laundromat. How much fun was that? I doubt I would even recognize that area now. Such memories.....

Submitted by: Donna Perkins Blizzard : 19 Mar 2009, 14:36

I also remember the library. My family moved to Raleigh in 1964 from Frayser. We would go there often. Raleigh was really a nice place then. My parents wanted to move "out". I also remember the soda fountain in the drug store and the Sinclair gas station. We would buy groceries at Big Star. As a child I was facinated because there was a "small lady that worked in there". Such memories.

Submitted by: Lori Hill : 04 Sep 2009, 19:12

Oh my goodness, the Big Star and the Library and the laundrymat! My Daddy use to take me and let me pick out a toy at the drugstore while the clothes were washing. He was Frank Hall and he use to hang out at the drug store when he was a student at Bartlett High School. I remember going to the library in elementary school and it was such a peaceful place. The "small lady" was Mrs. Vassar, a sweet lady from a Raleigh family that attended Broadmoor Baptist Church.