Way before McGregor Hall, the Cinema or even Raleigh Rd. Outdoor Theatre in Henderson, patrons of the arts could enjoy a live performance, a silent movie or even a vaudeville show in any number of theaters and performance halls that dotted the community.
Most folks in Henderson remember the Embassy, located just a block off Garnett Street, its interior dripping in burgundy velvet and the stairs leading to the balcony where the “cool” kids hung out.
Local historian Mark Pace said it was billed as “the grandest movie theater in the U.S.” when the Stevenson family opened it in 1940. He joined WIZS’s Bill Harris for the tri-weekly Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk.
The Embassy closed in 1987 and the building was torn down in 1996; its name lives on in The Embassy Square Project, an $8 million privately funded endeavor that gave way to McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center and Perry Memorial Library.
The Stevenson family owned dozens of movie theaters across the state and the former Moon-Glo Outdoor Theatre (renamed Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre) is one of only a handful of drive-in theaters that are still in operation across the state.
Then there’s The Stevenson, located along Garnett Street near the spot where the former Rose’s store was. The Art Deco style building was designed by Henderson architect Eric Flanagan, who also designed the Henderson High School – now the Center for Innovation for Vance County Schools.
Just down the street from The Stevenson – near Frazco – was The State, another movie house.
Downtowns across the Old Granville area had at least one movie theater, Pace said.
The Orpheum in Oxford on Williamsboro Street was built in 1913. It burned in 1943 and was rebuilt in an Art Deco style that the newly restored location has retained in its new incarnation as a wedding and event venue.
A group is Lousiburg is trying to do a similar thing and save a theater downtown, which opened in 1935 and was in operation until about 2009.
Oxford also had The Liberty Theater, located near the current location of Hall’s Flooring. The Mills family ran this theater, which was in operation from 1929-1942 for African Americans.
The Carolina Theater occupied a spot near Strong Arm Baking Co. on Main Street in Oxford from the mid 1930’s to the early ‘60’s, Pace said. The building burned down in 1997 when it was being used as a fitness center and now is the site of the Hugh Currin mini-park.
There was a drive-in in Oxford, across from the Food Lion at Hilltop, called the Starlite. Pace said he’s looking for a photograph of this theater, so if anybody has one, he’d love to see it.
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TownTalk: Mental Health And Substance Use Forum Takes Place Next Week
/by WIZS StaffThe approaching holidays bring families together to celebrate and spend time together, but those family gatherings also can place undue pressure and stress on those who also may struggle with mental health and substance abuse issues.
Melanie Griggs, a behavioral health clinical counselor at Granville Vance Public Health, said two upcoming listening sessions are designed to provide resources and information about services in the community.
“It’s a big, big problem,” Griggs said of individuals who find themselves in a mental health or substance abuse crisis.
Above and beyond those modern-day stressors that creep into people’s lives from time to time, other people experience anxiety, depression, loneliness and even suicidal thoughts.
“It affects the family, employers, our entire community,” Griggs said. “All of us are touched by someone who struggles with either of these issues on a day-to-day basis,” she said.
GVPH is one of the partners hosting the discussions.
The Vance County forum will be held Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Spring Street Missionary Baptist Church, 511 Orange St., Henderson.
The Granville County forum will be held Thursday, Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. at Cornerstone Christian Community Church, 3237 Knotts Grove Rd., Oxford.
“We’re going to talk a lot about access and where in our communities…you can go to get more information and support to address (people’s) particular concerns.”
Provider booths will include those that specialize in medications for Opioid Use Disorder (e.g., Buprenorphine, Methadone), individual and family counseling, medication management, crisis management, intensive outpatient services, and residential treatment.
“We want to make sure that people in our community know what’s out there…making sure they know where to go to get these services.”
Griggs said the community has access to a mobile crisis management unit, accessible by phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1.844.709.4097.
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The Local Skinny! Franklin County Releases Historic Architecture Book
/by WIZS StaffThe much-awaited Franklin County architectural history book has been published and is ready for purchase, just in time for Christmas.
The books are $60 and feature more than 400 photos and list 800 properties of interest throughout the county.
There will be a special book release party at the Louisburg Senior Center, 279 S. Bickett Blvd., on Monday, Dec. 4 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Books will be on sale at the event, and also will be available for sale at the various library branches in the county, said WIZS’s own Bill Harris, who also serves as chair of the Franklin County Historical Preservation Commission.
The book is the result of a comprehensive survey conducted before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which slowed the process of completing the book.
The previous survey undertaken by the state preservation office was completed in the 1970’s, but didn’t result in a book, he said.
Now, half a century later, this most recent survey includes properties that would not have been considered historically significant back in the 1970’s, Harris explained.
There also was an effort to focus on the southern part of Louisburg, which had not been thoroughly considered in the previous survey, he noted.
The book’s main editor is J. Daniel Pizzone, but there were numerous others who contributed to the completion of the book, Harris said. It was published in Oxford by BW&A Books.
Copies of the book are available now at the following locations:
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WIZS Radio Local News Audio 11-20-23 Noon
/by Bill HarrisClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Clothes Moths
/by Bill HarrisListen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
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Churches Sponsor Camp Meeting Dec. 4-8 At McGregor Hall
/by WIZS StaffHenderson’s second annual weeklong Camp Meeting will be held Dec. 4-8 at McGregor Hall.
Each evening will feature preachers and musical performances. The public is invited to attend – admission is free, but an offering will be taken up each night, according to information from Andy Matthews, one of the organizers.
The nightly meetings begin at 7 p.m. and will be moderated by Scott Matthews, who also will be the guest preacher on Wednesday, along with evangelist Dale Vance.
Other preachers include Kenny Baldwin (Monday), Joe Arthur (Tuesday) and C.T. Townsend (Thursday).
Nightly musical entertainment will feature The Matthews Family. The Morrison Sisters will take the stage Wednesday through Friday and special guests Andy Leftwich & Friends will conclude the weeklong activities with a special Christmas show on Friday evening.
The camp meeting is supported by more than half a dozen churches across Vance County, Scott Matthew said. His father, Ronnie Matthews is pastor of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Henderson.
For more information, call Scott Matthews 864.490.0852 or Ronnie Matthews 252.425.9035.
Oxford Fire Dept. Has New Specialized Rescue Equipment For Use In Grain Bins
/by WIZS StaffThe Oxford Fire Department is one of only two departments in the state to receive a specialized piece of equipment to assist with grain bin rescues.
Thanks to a partnership with the local Pegram Agency, Nationwide Insurance and the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, the Oxford fire department now has the equipment should a situation arise that a person is trapped in a grain bin.
The equipment is basically a rescue tube and NECAS also provides training to make sure fire departments know how to use it properly. NECAS representatives traveled to each location with state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulators. The comprehensive training sessions included classroom education and rescue simulations using the entrapment tools, which are loaded onto 20-foot trailers and able to hold about 100 bushels of grain each.
Rural communities continue to face hazards associated with working in and around grain structures. In 2022 alone, there were at least 42 grain entrapments – the highest number in more than a decade – resulting in 15 fatalities. To help prevent tragic accidents and deaths, Nationwide and its partners are providing life-saving grain rescue tubes and training to 60 fire departments across rural America through its 2023 Grain Bin Safety campaign.
Since beginning the Grain Bin Safety campaign in 2014, at least seven fire departments have utilized their rescue tubes and training to successfully rescue entrapped individuals, including a man in Ohio who was trapped up to his armpits back in a March 2023 incident.
“With entrapments and accidents on the rise, it’s as important as ever to be following proper safety precautions before entering a bin,” said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide. “
Through collaboration with NECAS, Nationwide and its partners have now supplied grain rescue equipment and training to 332 first responders across 32 states to help prepare them when local grain entrapments occur.
“Grain bin accidents continue to be a critical issue facing the agriculture industry,” said Liggett. “We are proud to have supplied these important resources to 60 more rural fire departments in partnership with the many sponsors involved in our grain bin safety efforts. Thank you to the first responders who play such an important role in supporting the agriculture community.”
Nationwide is continuing to work with partners throughout the year to provide additional grain rescue tubes and training sessions to fire departments in need. To learn how to get involved or sponsor a rescue tube for your local fire department, visit the Partner With Us webpage.
Veterans Can Get Seedlings At Discount From N.C. Forest Service
/by WIZS StaffThe N.C. Forest Service is offering a 20 percent discount on tree seedling orders placed by active, honorably discharged or retired military personnel during the month of November. Beginning Nov. 13, the discount applies to the first $500 of all new orders, up to a $100 discount.
“Many forestland owners in this state are veterans and current military members who choose country before self to the benefit of us all,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I am proud to offer a discount that not only shows appreciation for their brave service but that also assists them with keeping forests healthy, another act that provides us all with numerous benefits.”
To be eligible, veterans must show a valid military ID, Department of Defense Form 214/215 or National Guard Bureau Form 22/22A is acceptable. Standard shipping rates still apply. Tree seedlings may be ordered by calling 1-888-NCTREES or by visiting www.buynctrees.com.
The N.C. Forest Service Nursery and Tree Improvement program ensures that residents of North Carolina have access to the best native trees and genetics available for use on their land. Current available inventory includes southern yellow pines, native oaks and hardwoods, native understory grasses and Christmas tree species. For a complete list of available species and pricing, visit https://www.ncforestservice.gov/nursery/NurseryandTreeImprovement.htm.
SportsTalk: Elliott Reflects On Vipers Season
/by Bill HarrisVance County Vipers Head Football Coach Aaron Elliot summed up the school’s loss to Terry Sanford in the first round of the state high school playoffs with three words “Too many mistakes,” he said on Thursday’s SportsTalk. The 34-27 loss followed an undefeated regular season for Vance County. “We knew they were a good team. Certainly not a 26th ranked team,” Elliott commented. After the loss Elliott gave his team one week off but now they are back to work preparing for next season. The Vipers have already headed back to the weight room.
The Vipers will lose 10 seniors from this year’s team when the hit the gridiron late next August but Elliott sees a bright future for the Vipers. “Our team will work personnel. We will put kids in the right place to be successful,” Elliott said. He says he expects the conference to improve next year. Louisburg went to the second round of the playoff, J.F. Webb had their best season in years and there’s always Southern Durham to contend with.
While naturally disappointed that the Vipers lost he continues to look favorably on this past season and should have another great year in 2024.
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TownTalk: Around Old Granville’s Local Theater History
/by Laura GabelWay before McGregor Hall, the Cinema or even Raleigh Rd. Outdoor Theatre in Henderson, patrons of the arts could enjoy a live performance, a silent movie or even a vaudeville show in any number of theaters and performance halls that dotted the community.
Most folks in Henderson remember the Embassy, located just a block off Garnett Street, its interior dripping in burgundy velvet and the stairs leading to the balcony where the “cool” kids hung out.
Local historian Mark Pace said it was billed as “the grandest movie theater in the U.S.” when the Stevenson family opened it in 1940. He joined WIZS’s Bill Harris for the tri-weekly Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk.
The Embassy closed in 1987 and the building was torn down in 1996; its name lives on in The Embassy Square Project, an $8 million privately funded endeavor that gave way to McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center and Perry Memorial Library.
The Stevenson family owned dozens of movie theaters across the state and the former Moon-Glo Outdoor Theatre (renamed Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre) is one of only a handful of drive-in theaters that are still in operation across the state.
Then there’s The Stevenson, located along Garnett Street near the spot where the former Rose’s store was. The Art Deco style building was designed by Henderson architect Eric Flanagan, who also designed the Henderson High School – now the Center for Innovation for Vance County Schools.
Just down the street from The Stevenson – near Frazco – was The State, another movie house.
Downtowns across the Old Granville area had at least one movie theater, Pace said.
The Orpheum in Oxford on Williamsboro Street was built in 1913. It burned in 1943 and was rebuilt in an Art Deco style that the newly restored location has retained in its new incarnation as a wedding and event venue.
A group is Lousiburg is trying to do a similar thing and save a theater downtown, which opened in 1935 and was in operation until about 2009.
Oxford also had The Liberty Theater, located near the current location of Hall’s Flooring. The Mills family ran this theater, which was in operation from 1929-1942 for African Americans.
The Carolina Theater occupied a spot near Strong Arm Baking Co. on Main Street in Oxford from the mid 1930’s to the early ‘60’s, Pace said. The building burned down in 1997 when it was being used as a fitness center and now is the site of the Hugh Currin mini-park.
There was a drive-in in Oxford, across from the Food Lion at Hilltop, called the Starlite. Pace said he’s looking for a photograph of this theater, so if anybody has one, he’d love to see it.
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The Local Skinny! Pop The Hood: Warming Your Engine
/by WIZS StaffFor our sponsor, Advance Auto Parts, as part of a paid radio sponsorship on WIZS.
The information contained in this post is not advice from Advance Auto Parts or WIZS. Safety First! Always seek proper help. This is presented for its informational value on and is part of a paid advertising sponsorship.
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