The Whitfield Building

The Whitfield building is the oldest building still standing on Main Street. It has stood there since at least the Civil War. The building has served many purposes over the years. It has been everything from a clothing store, to a hardware store, and a dry goods store. In the 1920s, the building became a car dealership selling Hudson cars. It became known as the Whitfield building when J.H. Whitfield bought the building in the 1940s and used it as a grains and seed store, selling Purina brand feed. He operated the store until his death in the 1970s when another man bought the building and also used it as a grain and seed store. Today it is occupied by the Funky Flamingo and Perini’s.

The first known coke advertisement was put on the wall in 1905. Coke has updated it frequently over the years. There was a brief time when Coke did not use the wall as advertisement and Mr. Whitfield used it to advertise his store and Purina feed. After Mr. Whitfield retired another coke mural appeared and it remained an advertisement for coke for many years. The mural fell into disrepair as it had not been updated for many years. However, a couple of weeks before the 2016 Vice Presidential Debate, held at nearby Longwood University, citizens of Farmville contacted Coke asking if they could update the faded, old painting. Coke immediately sent people who finished painting within the week to have it done just before the debate. That version is the current one you see.

Courtesy of:

The Farmville Historical Society