CityView Magazine

48 October 2022 FAYETTEVILLE HISTORY The way it was BY WEEKS PARKER We hope you enjoy this recurring feature by history buff Weeks Parker, who owns an impressive collection of local memorabilia and photos that he has agreed to share with CityView readers. A former Presbyterian Ju- nior College band director, Parker is the author of 12 books on a variety of subjects, including "Fayetteville, North Carolina: A Pictorial History." Courthouse Filling Station In the 1920s, Courthouse Filling Station and Tire Co. on the corner of Gillespie and Russell streets was one of the most popular service stations in Fayetteville. As soon as a customer pulled his car into this Esso station, he received immediate service from three attendants who quickly pumped gas, filled the radiator, and checked the oil, battery and tires, then cleaned the windshield. e price of gas was as low as 17 cents a gallon. Martin House Hotel In the late 1800s, this building was a popular overnight hotel for farmers. e nightly rate for room and board was 25 cents to 50 cents, depending on how many mules or horses one had. e wagons and animals were cared for in a large stable behind the hotel. Located on Bow Street near its intersection with Ann Street, this hotel was constructed on tongue-and-groove boards held together by wooden pegs. It is believed that less than 10 pounds of spiked nails were used in the entire building. Across the street from the old hotel was a wagon yard where farmers sold wood and produce. e wagon yard can still be seen today connecting the buildings near the archway connecting Person Street to Bow Street. In 1929, Rogers & Breece Funeral Home moved from the corner of Old and Anderson streets to its new location in the old Martin House Hotel on Bow Street.

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