Curb Market Then & Now

We found this awesome vintage photo via Facebook of the Curb Market when it was still the National Guard Armory. We’ve put it side-by-side with a picture taken today, so you can see just how much has changed in 93 years…and wow!!!! We will be celebrating our 150th anniversary as the Curb Market in 2024 and this photo find was a great way to help us kick off our celebration planning. 

Built in 1930, this building was just brick and concrete, and in 1931 was deeded to the city of Greensboro. At this time the National Guard took over the building and made it a revered armory within the state of North Carolina. The armory housed battery D, 2nd battalion of the 252nd Coast Artillery Regiment, which was commanded by Major Ralph L. Lewis in the 1940’s. As the United States was becoming a presence in World War II, the regiment in Greensboro was gearing up to leave for training and would eventually head to South Carolina in the fall of 1940.

The Guard was housed in the Armory on Bagley (now Yanceyville) for a number of years after World War II, and in 1962 plans were made to move the National Guard to a new location on Franklin Boulevard. The city was also making plans to move the Farmers Curb Market from Commerce Place to the old Armory building. Just like the Farmers Curb Market, the building has its own unique history that adds to the uniqueness of this market’s story. (Report by Libby Clark – read more here)