Then and Now
(Click the pictures for a larger view of the photo)
This street scene dates back to the early 1900s. Are there any buildings here that still exist today?
This photo (courtesy of the Courier Record) is dated April 14, 1932. Here we see several buildings that are no longer there. Using Citizens bank as a reference, the building across from it sits where BB&T now is located and the one that is on the other side of Main Street where Irby insurance agency is now located is not familiar looking
Old Parade shots are always jewels because they show the buildings in the background to give us a glimpse of what the town looked like once upon a time. The photo below is displayed in the hallway of the Blackstown Municipal building. Written on the photo is the date May 30, 1923 and the occasion is a Memorial Day parade. Many familiar facades are visible and a few that are no longer part of the landscape. Most notable amont the missing is the end building that was lost to a fire in 1965.
These are two of the most high quality older images of Blackstone in existence today. Photos like these show buildings that have stood the test of time and help determine which ones are the oldest.
The overall streetscape of Blackstone is still intact which adds to its charm and authentically historic pedigree. This is why it is of value to preserve the aging architecture. It is what sets small towns apart and these old buildings are made of handcrafted materials that are no longer available.
That new looking '56 Chevy dates this scene. Vehicles are one of the surest clues to the approximate timeframe of the scene since it cannot be earlier than the newest vehicle pictured.
circa 1950s
This photo shows a warm weather parade, perhaps Easter. The first prominent building has the name D.T. Upson on the name board at the top and it is located in the same spot that Gravatt & Gravatt is presently. Right next door is the Blackstone Restuarant which still looks the same. The building on the corner is not familiar at all. It's fate is not known at this time but it must have been either demolished or lost to some catastrophe like a fire. So here we have two buildings that are no longer there and if someone knows the history of what became of them please let me know.
This photo shows the other end of town from the same vantage point. It is obvious that the same photographer simply panned in the opposite direction for this shot. Here, we see two of the buildings that were lost in the fire in 2004. We see Spencers Drugstore with its all brick exterior and a marquee similar to the one that still exists on the Herb Cottage and at 116 S. Main.
circa 1980s
This picture shows downtown in the early 1980s. West Foods and Nottoway Drugstore have since closed and Citizens bank acquired and covered both those buildings in the familiar stucco exterior that we see today. Dillard Crawley Hardware was also operating at the time of this photo.
These old undated polaroid Parade photos are probably from the mid 70s or early 80s. Notice Sheffield Furniture in the background pictured before the Hotel buildings were covered in a vinyl layer. The windows look blocked up though. If you have old parade photos please share them!
To share your old pictures, call DBi at (434) 292-3041 or manager@downtownblackstone.org and the mailing address is 107 W. Broad Street, Blackstone, VA 23824.