The Castle Night Club (Rem.)
Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy Sherry McGee

This building nicknamed "The Castle" is located smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood. It appears to be vacant, but apparently the owner keeps the grass mowed and the property in good repair. One of my coworkers vaguely remembers it from her childhood. She says she and her brother used to ride their bikes to it when it served as a convenience store. Many thanks to Sherry McGee for info. 09-06

Driving along Central Avenue, the last thing you expect to see is a castle rising above the trees. Stone walls, towers, and gargoyles give Ashlar Hall, better known to many Memphians as The Castle Night Club, the look of something that belongs in Europe instead of the middle of Tennessee.

The Castle Night Club (Rem.)
Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy Sherry McGee

The mansion was completed in 1897 as a private home and later became a popular restaurant before taking on an entirely different personality in the 1990s. That's when local character Prince Mongo turned the old mansion into the legendary Castle nightclub, one of Memphis' most unusual places to spend an evening. When fire officials limited indoor crowds, the party simply moved outside, with sand spread across the grounds to keep things going.

The nightclub closed in 2000, and for years the old castle sat empty as vines and weather slowly took over. If you happened to drive by during those years, it looked more like the setting for a haunted movie than a former mansion. Today the stone walls and towers have been restored, and the landmark has found new life as a private event venue and residence.

UPDATE: Ashlar Hall has been fully restored and no longer resembles the abandoned castle that fascinated so many passing motorists for years. 08-26

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco (Closed)
Winston-Salem, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco plant in Winston-Salem, NC had few signs of activity and in fact the oldest part is in the process of being converted into condo's. The companies office is located a few blocks away downtown Winston-Salem in a small art deco skyscraper. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 12-07

The old brick factories seem to stretch for blocks, with tall windows, smokestacks, and weathered buildings that remind you this was once one of America's great tobacco towns. If you're exploring downtown Winston-Salem, it's hard to miss the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco complex, a place that helped put the city on the map.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco
Winston-Salem, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

R.J. Reynolds opened his first factory here in 1875, and over the years it grew into a sprawling manufacturing operation that covered several city blocks. Much of the complex standing today dates to the early 1900s, when the original factory gave way to the larger brick buildings that became so familiar to generations of workers and travelers alike. Millions of packs of Camel cigarettes and Prince Albert tobacco passed through these buildings before heading out across the country.

There's something about old industrial buildings that catches the eye. The rows of windows, faded brickwork, and giant factory walls make it easy to imagine the days when this part of Winston-Salem was filled with the sounds and smells of a busy tobacco plant. Even after production gradually moved to newer facilities, these buildings remained one of the city's best-known landmarks.

When this photo was taken, the old factory was beginning a new chapter. Construction crews were busy giving many of the historic buildings a second life instead of tearing them down, preserving much of the character that had made the complex such a familiar sight for more than a century.

UPDATE: Much of the former R.J. Reynolds factory has since been restored as part of Winston-Salem's Innovation Quarter, where the historic brick buildings now house apartments, offices, restaurants, and research facilities. 08-26

Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Building
Greensboro, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

It's hard to look down Elm Street without noticing the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Building rising above everything else. The old tower has been watching over downtown Greensboro since the early 1920s, and even with a modern addition standing beside it, it's still the part of the complex that catches the eye first. 02-09

Construction began in 1922, and when the building opened in 1923 it became the tallest building in North Carolina. For several years it also held the title of the tallest skyscraper between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. That's not bad for a city that many travelers simply pass through on Interstate 40 today. Back then, though, this tower announced that Greensboro was becoming a major business center.

Take a little time to admire the details before moving on. The stonework, decorative trim, and tall windows give the building a character that's difficult to duplicate in modern office towers. It has the kind of presence that makes you wonder what downtown looked like when this was the newest building around and everyone craned their necks to see the top.

Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Building
Greensboro, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

A large addition was completed in 1990, and unlike many modern expansions, the designers made an effort to carry over much of the original building's style. It's easy to tell which tower came first, but the newer section doesn't seem out of place. Instead, it lets the old skyscraper remain the centerpiece while adding another chapter to its story.

The names on the front doors have changed over the years, from Jefferson Standard to Jefferson-Pilot and now Lincoln Financial Group, but longtime residents still know exactly which building you're talking about when someone mentions the old Jefferson Standard. It's one of those landmarks that has become part of the city's identity, whether you're seeing it for the first time or the hundredth.

UPDATE: The building continues to serve as the Greensboro headquarters for Lincoln Financial's life insurance operations, and the original 1923 tower remains one of downtown's best-known landmarks. 08-26

Grimes Mill (Gone)
Salisbury, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The Grimes Mill in Salisbury, NC dates from 1896 and is now owned by the City of Salisbury. According to the Historic Salisbury Foundation Inc., the Grimes Mill is a Second Empire style Victorian roller mill and was purchased by the foundation in 1982. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-09

Driving along North Church Street, it would have been hard to miss the tall brick Grimes Mill standing above the surrounding neighborhood. With its cupola, rows of windows, and old industrial look, it seemed more like a small castle than a flour mill. It was one of those buildings that made you wonder what stories were tucked away inside.

Grimes Mill
Salisbury, NC
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Built in 1897 as the North Side Roller Mill, the landmark spent decades grinding flour, meal, and feed for the Salisbury area. The Grimes family took over the operation in 1906, and their name became permanently attached to the old mill. Even after the machinery finally fell silent in 1982, the building wasn't forgotten.

Instead of being torn down, the old mill was preserved and opened as North Carolina's only roller mill museum. Visitors could wander through five floors of original milling equipment and get a glimpse of how grain was processed long before modern factories took over. It was a rare chance to step inside a piece of the state's industrial past.

Unfortunately, that opportunity came to an end on January 16, 2013, when a massive five-alarm fire swept through the building. Flames shot high above the roof as firefighters battled the blaze, but the historic mill could not be saved. By the next morning, one of Salisbury's most recognizable landmarks had been reduced to rubble.

UPDATE: The Grimes Mill site has been cleared, and the landmark that stood there for more than a century is gone. 08-26