Murals to be placed at the urban green space at 1026 Roanoke Avenue will pay tribute to the city’s rail, river and textile history.
Roanoke Rapids Main Street Development Director Christina Caudle had the murals on display during the Main Street annual dinner Monday.
The murals are the works of local artist Napoleon Hill and feature the depot near Roanoke Avenue and Julian R. Allsbrook Highway; the Roanoke Canal Museum, formerly a power station and the Rosemary Mill before much of it was demolished.
The Halifax County Arts Council funded the commission of the mural through a Grassroots Art Program grant.
The location of the green space was home to the former Roanoke Restaurant. “This was a major safety concern,” Caudle said at the meeting.
The facade of the building was saved and work on improvements is underway. It will eventually have tables and chairs and a water feature, Caudle said. The tables and chairs will be in a courtyard-style and it will have seat walls coinciding with the landscaping retention.
