Stone chimney along US 64 served up meals for decades, destined for demolition
OFF TO THE.
>> ALL RIGHT. TAKE A LOOK AT
YOUR SCREENS HERE DRIVING ALONG
US. 64 BETWEEN RALEIGH
AND KNIGHTDALE. YOU MAY HAVE
NOTICED THESE RUINS HERE.
STONE FIREPLACE IN THE TREE
LINE HERE RIGHT NEXT TO THE
ROAD. AND MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY
REACHED OUT TO OUR HIDDEN
HISTORY TEAM WANTING TO KNOW
WHAT THIS WAS. LEARN A LITTLE
MORE ABOUT IT. WRAL NEWS PLUS,
ANCHOR GRACE HOLLAND VISITED
THE SPOT, MET WITH A LOCAL
HISTORIAN WHO'S BEEN LEARNING
OF THIS AREA'S HISTORY FOR
DECADES.
>> LIKE MANY OF OUR VIEWERS,
OAKLEY BALDWIN. FIRST NOTICE
THIS RUINED DRIVING BY IT WAS
BUILT FOR COOKING DURING THE
GREAT DEPRESSION. BUT IT TURNS
OUT THAT THIS FIREPLACES LIVED
SEVERAL LIVES SINCE THEN HE
GAVE WRAL HIDDEN HISTORY.
REPORTER HEATHER AND DIET OR
>> ON THE BEATEN PATH OF US.
64.
YOU MIGHT FIND THESE RUINS A
STONE'S STOWE FROM A TIME
BEFORE THE PATH FROM RALEIGH TO
KNIGHTDALE CAME WITH 4 LEGS.
I WOULD DRIVE BY IT EVERY DAY.
SEVERAL TIMES A DAY.
>> AND IT IT WAS ALWAYS
SOMETHING THAT WOULD CATCH MY
EYE OAKLEY BALDWIN DID, I GUESS
BECAUSE IT DID STICK OUT LIKE A
SORE THUMB. HE DISCOVERED THE
SPOT DURING HIS PATROLS AS A
WAKE COUNTY DEPUTY. I WOULD
FIND FRESH CHARCOL WILL NOT
STOP THERE.
>> DECADES LATER, HE STILL
COMES BACK. HE'S LEARNED IT
STORY. YOU CAN SEE WHERE
ORDERED.
>> PUT SOME ORDER THERE.
THAT WAS WHERE THE ROOF
CONNECTED TO. HE SAYS IT WAS
BUILT IN THE 1930'S TO FEED
HUNDREDS OF CIVILIAN
CONSERVATION CORPS WORKERS
BUILDING THE FIRST 2 LANES OF
THE HIGHWAY. THEY USED IT.
>> UP UNTIL 1942, BECAUSE
THAT'S WHEN THE CCC DISBANDED.
BUT MANY MORE MOUSE WERE FED
FROM THIS STOVE YEARS LATER,
KING'S RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT
USED IT TO COOK FOR ITS
CUSTOMERS. NO NEED.
>> AND SO IT WAS A GOOD IN
POINT HAD TO ACTUALLY LEAVE
THE RESTAURANT AND CROSS
HIGHWAY 64 2 LANES TO COOK THE
MEALS AND THEN CARRY THE MILLS
BACK ACROSS A NAME PROBABLY DID
THAT SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, WHICH
IS UNHEARD OF TODAY. IT'S KIND
OF CRAZY OCEAN WOULD NEVER
>> THE ROAD THAT BROUGHT THE
WORKERS AND CUSTOMERS WOULD
EVENTUALLY TAKE THE RESTAURANT
USED TO SIT IN. WHAT'S NOW THE
MEDIAN OF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE
THESE WESTBOUND LANES WERE BILL
ALLOW. NOW THE RUINS OF THE
STOVE FOR CRUMBLING. ONE OF
THE COLUMNS HERE HAS BEEN
KNOCKED DOWN A GUEST BY THIS
TREE BETWEEN THE ROAD AND NEW
DEVELOPMENT BEHIND BALDWIN IS
HOPING TO SEE IT PRESERVED EVEN
MOVE TO KEEP IT FROM BEING LOST
FOREVER. WE HAVE TO MAKE ROOM
FOR PROGRESS. AND SAVE OUR
HISTORY.
>> COUNTY PROPERTY RECORDS SHOW
RODGERS LANE PARTNERS, LLC OWNS
THE LAND OF THE ROOM AND SIT ON
THESE EARLY SITE PLANS FOR THAT
DEVELOPMENT BUILDING UP BEHIND
THE CHIMNEY. ONLY MENTION AT
ONE TIME. THIS MAP SHOWS AN OLD
CHIMNEY IN THE SAME AREA WITH
THE WORDS TO BE REMOVED.
>> GRACE HAULING REPORTING
AGAIN. WE DID REACH OUT TO THE
PROPERTY OWNER TO SEE WHAT'S
NEXT FOR THE RUINS IF THEY WILL