“In every town across Eastern North Carolina, the heart of the place stays the same — whether the tourists are here or gone. That steady, everyday heartbeat is what the Invasion Series is here to show.”
Wilson Invasion
Wilson, NC's history centers on its railroad-driven growth, evolving from a small crossroads into a major tobacco market by the early 20th century, known as "America's Largest Tobacco Market," later diversifying with manufacturing and education, while retaining its Southern charm and historic sites like the Whirligig Park. Established in 1849 from communities around Toisnot Depot, it was named for General Louis D. Wilson, becoming the county seat in 1855 and flourishing with the tobacco boom of the 1880s.
I randomly select towns across Eastern NC to invade. No not like that, just with my camera and lens. My eye looks for the things that build the heart and soul of a downtown area. My hopes are to bring attention to these towns and remind people of where these towns once stood tall and with pride. The history that lives in the streets and in the brick and mortar of every town.
-Jeff
A street view of an old brick building with multiple floors under a clear blue sky, with utility poles and wires, and a sidewalk with a large tree on the right side.
A red brick industrial building with a fenced yard, old water tanks, and a truck parked outside, under a clear blue sky.
A large red brick industrial building with multiple windows, surrounded by a chain-link fence, under a clear blue sky.
A red brick building on a sloped street with parked cars, utility poles, and wires overhead. The sky is partly cloudy.
A brick building with two large posters of a woman in red and a man in a jacket on the outside wall. The building has a large black section and a yellow gate in front. There are street signs on the left and power lines overhead. The sky is clear and blue.
Empty urban street with brick buildings, streetlights, parked cars, power lines, and two posters on a brick wall, under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Back alley scene with brick buildings, a chain-link fence gate, a white car parked on the right, and a clear blue sky.
A narrow alleyway between brick buildings with air conditioning units mounted on the right wall and some weeds growing from cracks in the concrete ground. The sky is clear with some clouds.
Interior of a thrift store decorated for Christmas with various holiday items, ornaments, furniture, and a red mailbox for Santa in the foreground.
Interior of a vintage store with antique furniture, artwork, and decorative items in warm lighting.
Interior of an antique store with shelves filled with dishes, lamps, and furniture.
A historic brick building with arched windows and towers, set against a partly cloudy sky on a quiet street.
A historic red brick building with a tall tower, large arched windows, and a staircase, situated on a street corner under a clear blue sky, with trees lining the sidewalk.
A red brick church with a tower, white arched windows, and a white door with steps and black guardrails, situated on a sunny street corner with a street lamp and a stop sign, under a clear blue sky.
A small town street scene featuring a prominent red brick church with a tall steeple, surrounded by residential houses and a bright blue sky.
A red brick church with a tall steeple, white window frames, and a staircase leading to the front door, under a blue sky with a few clouds.
Old abandoned white house with boarded-up windows and peeling paint, on a grassy lawn under a clear blue sky with trees nearby.
View of an alleyway through a chain-link fence, with brick buildings on both sides, some windows boarded up, and signs indicating no parking or loitering.
An alleyway between two brick buildings viewed through a metal chain-link fence, with boarded-up windows and a few plants growing on the building walls.
A tall brick building with arched windows and red awnings on the ground floor. The sun is shining brightly from behind the building, creating a lens flare. There are trees and a street with parked cars and a sidewalk in the foreground.
A tall brick building with multiple windows and a stone base, with street signs and a construction barrier in the foreground.
A historic brick building with a decorative white emblem on the gabled roof, large windows, benches outside, and a lamppost on the sidewalk, under a partly cloudy sky.
Empty train platform with yellow safety strip, train tracks, a building in the distance, and a blue sky with white clouds.
A large brick building with multiple floors, surrounded by parked cars, trees, and street lamps under a clear blue sky.
Sculpture of a horse made from rusted metal scrap in an outdoor park with trees and a building in the background.
Empty parking lot in front of a large brick building with multiple windows and advertisements on the wall, under a clear blue sky.
Empty downtown street with parked cars, sidewalks, trees, brick and stone buildings, and a clear blue sky.
A man sitting in a cluttered room, surrounded by furniture and various household items.
Inside a barbershop with clients getting haircuts. Barbers are working at the counter with hair products and tools. A man is standing near a client in a barber chair, and another client is seated. There are ceiling fans and framed pictures on the wall, with a large mirror reflecting the shop's interior.
Interior of a barbershop with customers receiving haircuts and barbers working behind the counter.