Lincoln Park Historic District

This National Historic District was constructed in the mid-1900s and was home to many middle-class African Americans who sought homeownership. Almost fifty buildings contribute to the historic district today, including single-family homes and the Lincoln Park Restaurant and Motel. This Black-owned business was a safe haven for African Americans who traveled in the era of Jim Crow. In 2012, the Lincoln Park District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A historical marker is located outside of the former location of Lincoln Park Restaurant and Motel.

Between 1948 and 1953, most of the homes and businesses within what is now the historic Lincoln Park District were constructed. The result was the first suburban neighborhood designed for middle-class African Americans in this area. The neighborhood grew quickly, attracting homeowners due to the homes' location, opportunity, and layout design. The “single-family minimal traditional-style” homes were designed by an architect from the neighboring town of Wilson, Thomas B. Herman. Almost fifty buildings were built between Ellison Drive, Leggett Road, and Carver Place.

At the end of construction, Clarence E. Pittman and Annie Sue Pittman were the proud owners of their family home, a restaurant, and a motel in the Lincoln Park District. The Lincoln Park Restaurant and Motel is one example of a successful African-American-owned business in Rocky Mount during segregation. The Pittman’s business served an important role for African American travelers seeking safe places to stay and eat. The location was listed in The Travelers' Green Book. The Green Book was an important tool for African American travelers during segregation. It remained in print even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Green Book aided travelers in their search for safe places to lodge, dine, and shop while on the road.

Today, many of the homes in the district continue to serve as single-family homes. While the hotel and restaurant closed, its historical significance remains.

[1] Historic Preservation, Rocky Mount, NC Center of it All. Accessed December 12th 2020. https://www.rockymountnc.gov/departments/development_services/historic_preservation.

[2] History and Heritage, Discover Edgecombe. Accessed December 15th 2020. https://cms5.revize.com/revize/edgecombe/history_and__heritage/lincoln_park_historic_district.php.

[3] Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library. "The Negro Travelers' Green Book: 1959" New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed December 16, 2020. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/89ed7cc0-8486-0132-e7b6-58d385a7bbd0

[4] Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library. "The Travelers' Green Book: 1960" New York Public Library Digital Collections. Accessed December 16, 2020. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/a7bf74e0-9427-0132-17bf-58d385a7b928