H. Lee Waters, Hillsborough, NC, January 19 and 20, 1937 [MPF.87.1]

[@annchance5693]

My father, William Chance, operated the theaters (yes, there were two) in Hillsborough and hired Lee Waters to take these movies to show at the theaters as a way to bring in more customers. That's me in the pedal car in our front yard in West Hillsborough. My mother later donated the films to the Historical Society.

[@annchance5693]

ann chance

[@fanoboss]

+ann chance incredible, thank you

[@TheDarXide.]

Wow! A million thanks to your mom and dad for this. I've lived in Hillsborough all my life, im 30 now and it's very fascinating to see how much this town thrived 80 years ago. I wondered if anyone in these films were still around, then I saw your comment. Thank you!

[@elizabethyancey125]

16:38 Fred Cates, Sr. My grandfather whom we called "Big Daddy." He was a conductor on the Southern Railroad, a partner in Cates Bros and the Cates Coal Co.

[@cynicalgal54]

My mama saw her sister Eva at 6:34 through 6:37. She was so excited. Eva is 89 now.

[@PHNT3]

My home town!!!! So amazing to see this!!!

[@fideauone3416]

I remember most of this, and a lot of the people. Especially Mr. Grady Brown, Principal of Hillsborough High, and Glen Auman, Coach and Phys Ed. Mr. James, and "Chunk" Forrest, and others. Of course the school was 1-12 even when I started. I've seen this film before but not this quality. I would like to know how to get one this good. I was born in Hillsborough and graduated High School in 1964. I knew Mr. Chance and as a kid we always went to the movies on Sat. mornings. Twenty-five cents got you in, with a drink and box of popcorn. So I guess Mr. Cates ran the W.Hillsborough theater after WW2? My Uncle was a projectionist there several years. Wish the town was still like this.

[@elizabethyancey125]

7:10 My Aunt Nancy Cates and the little boy to her left is my father. Fred Cates. Jr.

[@wholmmovies]

Great historical footage of what life was like in 1937.

[@Ncbeachfan5770]

Looking at this in 2025. 90 years have passed since this film was made. One day in 2115 someone will be looking at our videos. I am here thinking, in 1937, no matter how rich or poor, white or black, educated or uneducated, high status or low status, male or female, skinny or fat, old or young, married or unmarried, they all are equally dead now, which we will be in 2115. Think of the worrying and the heartaches, the late bills, the sicknesses, the hard work, the toils of everyday life for them, no longer matters.

[@elizabethyancey125]

9.27. Cates Bros. My great aunt Opal and her husband Herbert Cates. Aunt Opal was a post mistress in West Hillsborough and also had a cafe. She made the best banana pudding ever! Next is the soda fountain at James Pharmacy. It looked the same in the late 50's and early 60's of my memory. Pharmacist could be Mr Loyd.

[@roxannebarksdale5111]

Would love to know names. Recognized places and even what seemed to be familiar faces- perhaps a friend's parents or grandparents.

[@annmallard3645]

My grandparents, Dr. Robinette (Bob) Burns Hayes and Minnie Bond Anderson Hayes, at 3:39.

[@Ehimaniac]

It’s the first time I’ve seen candid photos of our grandparents, who both died before I was born.

[@martygrant]

Wow, recognized many of the places, but none of the faces.

[@chamboyette853]

You're still living in Hillsborough NC?

[@martygrant]

No. I left there in 1983.

[@chamboyette853]

Marty Grant Now I understand. That's why you changed high schools after 10th grade. Do you ever go back?

[@martygrant]

chamboyette853 you might be mixing me up with someone else. I lived in Hillsborough until I graduated from Orange High in 1983. I lived there another few months after that. My parents remained there a few more years. I have no family there now or any close friends so I haven't been back. I did make the 10 year class reunion in 1993, but none since then.

[@chamboyette853]

Marty Grant Sorry about that man. I actually did know another Marty Grant at Orange High who graduated in 1985. In any case, we weren't very far apart. I think Mr Halkiotis was the principal during your senior year?

[@elizabethyancey125]

18:24. Lady on left could be Mrs. Dot Cole.

[@glennhubbard5008]

That was Inauguration Day.

[@jrg7951]

No overweight people, everybody looks so healthy!

[@lol-un6nl]

thats because most people were underweight

[@mbankslje0nk]

They smoked like chimneys though!

[@GeoffreyMeigs]

Who needs "Humans of New York"? This is a thousand times more interesting. Wonderful preservation. So glad this has been saved.

[@williamstraughan6385]

those days people worked hard

[@thomasgary1219]

No obesity, no tats that are visible anyway, these folks look a whole lot healthier and happier than people do these days.

[@DorothyPotterSnyder]

One thing that's very evident and gives me chills to see, besides the fact that everyone's smoking, is that downtown Hillsborough was very very white in those days. Keep in mind that the schools and the town were still segregated at this time. Note the all-white student body emerging from the school. African American bodies were not even welcome at the mortuary at that time-and weren't until the late 1960s. An African American neighbor told me that "back in the day" -he's talking 50s and 60s, his mama would whip him if he went South on Nash or East on King because "that was the white people's neighborhood." I am delighted these images exist and applaud the filmmaker for doing it, but I've no nostalgia for segregation, that's for sure.

[@bennygraham847]

something that's not know about hillsborough is that it was where white slave owners had free black women to have as concubines. my grandmother was one of the children. there is no official record of her birth. i've always thought it strange how that went on.

[@williamguillIII]

I guess you must have not watched this film in it's entirety. I saw Blacks in one of the stores looking at some type of garments. I also saw them downtown walking the streets, smiling at the camera, etc. You also have to realize that at that time, tobacco was a staple crop raised all over the South. Hillsborough is in the tobacco belt, or at that time it was. Those times were different for sure. I miss the old Hillsborough, it once was.

[@mbankslje0nk]

@@williamguillIII doesn't change the historical fact of the racism in that period of time.

[@williamguillIII]

@@mbankslje0nk No it doesn't and I don't think this video should be interpreted by some as showing any forms of racism at that time period either.

[@mbankslje0nk]

Do you have reading comprehension issues? Read what I wrote and don't just react.

[@saltydog4759]

90% Scots-Irish

[@lecil2]

It was a better world

[@kevinellis1232]

Oh yeah...well it's time we admit, what we did to the blacks