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Updates on historic signage and business and residential development were presented to Albemarle City Council during the March 4 meeting.

Planning Specialist Brittani McClendon presented council members with plans for installation of 12 new signs to mark historic locations in downtown and in the Kingville area of South Albemarle.

“Early last year the first 10 markers for the Albemarle Local Historic Marker Program were installed in Phase 1 of the program,” McClendon said. “This year, in Phase 2, we are asking for approval to expand this program by installing six new marker locations downtown, and at six locations in the historically black neighborhood of Kingville.”

The project is a partnership with the Stanly County Historical Society, the Stanly County Museum and the Stanly County Avengers, represented by Dion Brooks.

“Mr. Brooks is seeking grant funding for property preservation, and for traditional cast metal markers,” McClendon added.

With markers in Kingville, phase two of the program will increase the total number of historical markers in Albemarle from 10 to 22.

Downtown locations proposed for new markers include:

● Former Morgan Motors Building (now Five Points Public House) at 304-310 E. Main St.;

● Former U.S. Post Office/ Former City Police Headquarters at 203 N. Second St.;

● Hearne Building at 122-126 N. Second St.;

● Fitzgerald Building (Former Roses 5 & 10) at 151 W. Main St.;

● “The Big Store” (former Lowder Hardware Building) at 103 N. First St.; and

● Former Morrow Brothers and Heath Company Store at 115 W. South St.

Proposed locations in the Kingville community include:

● Stanly County Training/ Stanly County Colored Normal Collegiate Institute (Washington Lane and Lundix Avenue intersection);

● Henry Wall Home (Wall Street and Lundix Street intersection);

● Kingville Community Overview (Site TBA);

● Kingville High School/ E.E. Waddell Community Center (621 Wall St.);

● Kingville Park (former Roosevelt Ingram Park – 400 N.C. Highway 24-27 E.); and

● Elks Sportsmans Club and Lodge (Elizabeth Avenue and Pearl Street intersection).

Councilman Chris Bramlett asked McClendon how the accuracy of the information included on the markers is verified.

“Locations downtown on the National Register of Historic Places have been reviewed,” McClendon said. “Other locations have been checked through third-party sources, such as newspapers, public records and the Register of Deeds.”

The proposal was unanimously approved by the council.

In other business, the council:

● Received an update on current and future development in Albemarle from Planning and Development Services Director Kevin Robinson;

● Set a public hearing to abandon a one block section of unopened right of way on North Sixth Street for April 15;

● Received a report from outgoing Fire Chief Pierre Brewton and named Kenny Kendall as interim fire chief, effective upon Brewton’s resignation on March 15;

● Granted permission to apply for a Rural Downtown Economic Development Grant from the NC Department of Commerce, Rural Infrastructure Authority; and

● Entered a closed session to consult with the city attorney and receive personnel updates.

The next meeting of the Albemarle City Council will take place on March 18.

Toby Thorpe is a freelance writer for The Stanly News & Press.