Two men walking along the sidewalk in front of the H. Lee Waters Photography Studio located on South Main Street in Uptown Lexington, Davidson County, N.C. Additional storefronts are partially visible, including Picket & Green and The March Hotel.
Metadata provided by Davidson County Historical Museum.
This photo was taken by Herbert Lee Waters (1902-1997), who operated the H. Lee Waters Studio in Lexington, NC. He acquired the studio at 118½ S. Main St. from J. J. Hitchcock in February 1926, under whom he studied and worked. Waters specialized in studio and commercial photography, capturing city scenes, local businesses, churches, schools, and community events. His work highlighted the lives of everyday people across different races and classes with notable content including photos of WWII draftees, African American communities, and the 20th century industry. Waters also produced over 200 short films, "Movies of Local People," documenting life in more than 100 towns from 1936 to 1942. This filmmaking venture helped him earn money during the Great Depression. After his daughter Mary's birth, he returned to Lexington to focus on still photography, creating a lasting visual narrative of his era.
Davidson County Historical Museum | 2 S Main Street Lexington, NC 27292 | dch.museum@davidsoncountync.gov | (336) 242-2035 | https://www.davidsoncountyhistoricalmuseum.com/
Digital Collection
Images of North Carolina
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Archival Content: this is a digital surrogate of an item that was created before April 26, 2027. It is presented here for research, reference or recordkeeping. For help accessing this material, please visit https://www.digitalnc.org/about/policies/accessibility/
