Why brick matters on a history walk through downtown Apex

Image: Apex passenger depot photographed by Mikeiamunion21 on October 12, 2013. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Signs visible in this archival image are not current event announcements.

The buildings along a downtown street can preserve evidence of disruption as well as growth. Apex’s historical account describes fires in 1905 and 1911 that destroyed commercial buildings and encouraged merchants to replace older wooden structures with brick. That background gives an ordinary look at Salem Street a different focus.

The same Town account traces the community’s development around the railroad, its incorporation in 1873 and its role shipping forest products. It records construction of the Town Hall in 1912, rebuilding of the 100 block of Salem Street by 1913 and rebuilding of Union Depot in 1914.

On a self-directed walk, look at the building fronts, rooflines and repeated details before turning to the historical account. Ask what a photograph or record would be needed to establish: a construction date, an original use or a later alteration. A convincing-looking old feature is not enough to prove its age.

Keep the outing on public sidewalks and respect current businesses and private spaces. Choose a small section to investigate rather than trying to cover all of downtown in one pass. Comparing one present-day view with a documented older image can reveal change more clearly than a list of dates, while leaving room for the stories the visible architecture cannot tell by itself.

Sources and visit details

• Town of Apex: Historic District and Properties historical background
• Town of Apex: historic-property resources

Photo: Mikeiamunion21 / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP; the site wordmark may be added in display.