SMITHFIELD – The Johnston County Heritage Center will be expanding. The county-operated facility has signed a lease for the former Rose’s building at Market and Fourth Streets in Downtown Smithfield, one block east of their current location.
The Heritage Center will still maintain their existing location in the former First Citizens Building and will use the new location at 107 N. Fourth Street for additional displays.
“We are excited about this opportunity to expand our exhibits and gift shop in the Rose’s building. We have a lot of fascinating artifacts which have been in storage for years, and this space will enable us to use them to tell more of the Johnston County story,” said Todd Johnson, Executive Director.
“Right now, we are looking at late summer or early fall for having the space ready to open to the public. In the fall we will be working to move our renowned research collection of genealogy and state and local history to the ground floor of the First Citizens building,” Mr. Johnson said.
The County of Johnston will lease the former Rose’s building from its owner, Roberts & Wellons, Inc. of Smithfield, for $24,000 per year. The County will initially rent the 4,428 square foot building for two years with an option to extend the lease.
