Lyric Theatre
128 SW Main Street,
Rocky Mount,
NC
27804
128 SW Main Street,
Rocky Mount,
NC
27804
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Assuming that the address is correct, this was located in a building constructed sometime between 1896 and 1901, when it is shown as a hardware store. The 1917 map shows it as a jewelry store. There’s a big gap, with the 1956 update to the 1923 map being the next available online. The theater’s existence would have fallen in this gap. At any rate, by 1956, it is shown as two stores, a very small storefront having been added on the north side. Judging from the style, this may date from the early ‘20s. The main storefront to the south is definitely postwar, probably the '50s.
750 seems a bit large for this building, even assuming that a balcony was added. Looking at the rear from Howard St, it’s not nearly as deep as its neighbors, and the rear wall appears original to the 1900-ish construction.
As far as I can tell, all that happened in the switch from having one Main St to two was that all the evens ended up on West Main, and the odds became East Main. The address numbers only made slight changes to accommodate new construction. This building originally had a 128 S Main address. If anyone can confirm that this is the correct current address, I’ll add a picture.