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Rocky Mount, N.C.—North Carolina Wesleyan College will soon have a presence in downtown Rocky Mount. The College has officially accepted the former Carleton House Motel and Restaurant property on Church Street as a gift from Boddie-Noell Enterprises and will call the facility the Carleton Campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College.

Boddie-Noell Enterprises, of Rocky Mount, operated the motel and restaurant for 43 years until it was closed in March 2003.

Wesleyan President Ian Newbould said, "We are delighted at the generosity and vision of Boddie-Noell. Nick and Mayo Boddie have been very kind to Rocky Mount and to Wesleyan College over the years, and this gift continues in that thoughtful tradition.

"We have discussed several possibilities for use of the property that all revolve around additional housing and services for our growing student body," Newbould said. "There are about 60 rooms that might be used for housing. The restaurant building potentially could be converted into classrooms and meeting space. It might also provide some dining, recreation, and study space for the students who would live there.

"As downtown Rocky Mount develops, the Carleton Campus could provide a wonderful housing alternative for some of our students because of its proximity to the new Braswell Memorial Library, the Imperial Centre, churches, banks, shopping, restaurants, and other downtown services," Newbould said.

"We will be installing an attractive security fence with gated access around the property. Other than that, the College does not plan to significantly change the exterior appearance of the property. Any changes would be made in accordance with plans for the development of downtown Rocky Mount.

"The College most likely will not occupy the property during the coming academic year but will use that time to plan and implement ideas."

Mayo Boddie, chairman of Boddie-Noell Enterprises, Inc., and Nick Boddie, vice-chairman, said in a prepared statement, "We believe many people—not only in the Rocky Mount area, but in many of our 50 states—enjoyed the Southern hospitality and Chef Charles’ cooking at the Carleton House Restaurant. The motel was also a destination and gathering spot for those traveling Highway 301 and Interstate 95. There is an end to everything and after 43 years we decided it was best to retire the motel and restaurant and hope that it could be used for some beneficial purpose.

"We are very excited that Wesleyan College has accepted our offer of the Carleton House Motel and Restaurant as a gift to them. We feel that this will be a great asset not only to the college but also to the City of Rocky Mount. Carleton Noell and his wife Annie Lou were our partners in establishing this venture back in 1961 and we are sure they would be very pleased to see what is happening."

Thomas A. Betts, Jr., chairman of Wesleyan’s board of trustees, said Boddie-Noell’s gift will help Wesleyan continue to grow and serve students well. "Wesleyan College is enjoying record enrollment," Betts said. "This week over 420 new freshmen and transfer students have joined our campus. This is an increase of more than 100 students from last fall, and we are delighted to have them. This activity has swelled our dormitories, and we are bursting at the seams. Fortunately, as they have done so many times in the past, Boddie-Noell has come to our rescue.

"This gift will enable us to continue to pursue our aggressive student recruitment program. Our students can now enjoy the comfort and hospitality that The Carleton House has afforded travelers for decades. This facility is in excellent condition, and our students look forward to this attractive addition to our campus. We will continue the wonderful tradition started by Carleton Noell and Mayo and Nick Boddie of providing quality accommodations and pleasant surroundings."

Rocky Mount Mayor Fred Turnage said, "The City is extremely pleased over this generous gift to Wesleyan College and the tentative plans that Wesleyan has for the use of this facility for student housing. We are delighted that we have the possibility of students residing in the downtown area. One of the components that the City has felt was critical to the development of downtown was the creation of residential housing in that area. This would be a major step in that direction and hopefully will provide the impetus for additional development in the downtown area. The possibility of having students downtown will be a key element in bringing vitality and excitement to the area. The City is most supportive of this idea and looks forward to the implementation of the College’s plans."

The Boddie family has been a loyal advocate of Wesleyan for several decades. The College’s Boddie Residence Hall is named for the family in recognition of their generosity. Mayo Boddie, Sr. served on Wesleyan’s board of trustees for 20 years and is now a trustee emeritus.

North Carolina Wesleyan College is an independent, four-year liberal arts college for men and women, founded in 1956 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church. Located on a 200-acre site in Rocky Mount, Wesleyan offers the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in a total of 21 majors on the main campus. An Adult Degree Program that offers bachelor’s degrees in several disciplines is available on the Rocky Mount campus, in Goldsboro, and in the Triangle area.

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