Fifty Years after the Bypass - Franklinton, NC 2018

Beginning in 1926, Route 1 came right down Main Street in Franklinton, NC. Travelers supported businesses in the town as they passed through. A railroad stop supported industries there, including three large cotton mills and textile plants. In 1953, the NC highway department bypassed Franklinton and Wake Forest with a 4-lane divided highway. Traffic demands were too great for the original 2-lane main street to accommodate any longer. By 1991, the last of the mills closed down, and downtown Franklinton had no economic legs to stand on. While it can be depressing to experience town centers like Franklinton that struggle to be repurposed, I find the abandoned storefronts still have stories to tell, if you are willing to look closely for them. I’m finding that the using the plate glass window to reflect what’s happening across the street provides a sort of double-exposure, which can tell the story even more beautifully. I tried my best to capture what I could, although it was raining.