From The Archives

History of 226 Villa Street in Historic Villa Place

In January 2009, Gus Roberson and his daughter Kristie Driver purchased the property known as "Broomsedge" in the historic neighborhood of Villa Place. The house located at 226 Villa Street was a foreclosure, in disrepair, and an eye sore for the neighborhood. The property was overgrown with weeds and ivy, had a crumbling picket fence, broken windows, cracked walls, and peeling paint. Yet even with all its flaws, Gus and Kristie could see that the house was structurally sound and deserved renovation. The duo soon discovered that they were not just purchasing an old home, but a piece of Rocky Mount's history and charm.

The history of this house corresponds with Rocky Mount's early downtown growth. The Villa Street house was built in 1912 by E.S. Dodge, a Chief Dispatcher for the Atlantic Coastline Railroad (A.C.L.). Mr. Dodge, like so many others in the early 20th century, relocated to the area when A.C.L. decided to add a passenger depot, and make Rocky Mount a hub for its engine repair shop. He purchased the land from The American Suburban Corporation, a Norfolk Virginia based company that had the foresight to procure a significant amount of land in the area about the same time Rocky Mount became a railroad boom town. Mr. Dodge paid $427.50 for his lot on Villa Street, which at the time was nothing more than a straw field, hence the dwellings nick name "Broomsedge;" and for two years, he used his resources with the railroad to ship lumber and other building materials from all over the east coast to construct his home. During this same timeframe, A.C.L. was constructing the town's first Y.M.C.A. and a new hospital; the "Old West" school was founded (now the location for Braswell Elementary); and Richard H. Ricks built the finest hotel east of Raleigh on Main Street near the railroad depot. This truly was a significant period of growth and prosperity for Rocky Mount. Luckily the Historical Society has preserved a good portion of this history along with some of its beautiful architechture. The Villa Place Historic District was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1999.

Yet, what makes Broomsedge so charming is not its age or ties to the railroad, but the Dodge family that lived there for seventy two years. E.S. Dodge married Ruth Anthony of Maryland at the turn of the century after meeting her on the grounds of the Ricks Hotel in Rocky Mount. They had a daughter, Mary, who would inherit Broomsedge after the death of her parents in the 1940's. When the Ricks Hotel was demolished in the 1970's Mary had one of the outdoor lanterns installed along the front walkway of Broomsedge to celebrate her parent's love. Mary was a much admired artist and piano teacher, who travelled the world in the 1960's. Several of her travel keepsakes from Istanbul, France, and England were found in the Broomsedge study. Mary died in 1997 at the age of 95; she was buried with her parents in Pineview cemetery.

When you renovate an old home, take the time to research its past occupants, because you may discover an interesting story that makes all of the hard work and expense of renovating a historic property worthwhile. Remember what makes a house a home is not its bones, but it soul. The Broomsedge renovation has been well received by neighbors. Many have taken more pride in their own homes. Gus and Kristie hope to make this renovation the first of many in downtown Rocky Mount, and they hope every house they are lucky enough to renovate has such a touching past.

Article Written By: Lori Roberson
Chief Organizational Expert
Clutter Foe, LLC