Huge Franklinville mural celebrates nation's 250th birthday

FRANKLINVILLE — He started out doing graffiti art in New York City. Now Bobby Guff is a highly-sought-after mural painter.

He recently completed his largest work yet, a mural facing Main Street on the wall of the building in Franklinville once known as the company store. It was commissioned by the town council to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding and to be a gift to the townspeople.

Billy Farias, a town commissioner and mayor pro tem, said he saw Guff featured on a local TV station as he painted the side of a building. 

Farias contacted Guff about painting the company store and asked him, “Can you do it?” The answer was, “Yeah.”

Farias said the building is now owned by Vicki and Ray Caudle of Ramseur. When he called Vicki for permission to do the mural, she told him to “do whatever you want with the building.” That included taking down some awnings that were in the way.

The building was the local store for employees of Randolph Mills and others. The lower south side had a barber shop, the post office and even a dental office.

The idea for the mural was to highlight the history of Franklinville, including textiles, the railroad, the river and dam, and a famous ride down Faith Rock by Andrew Hunter. Featured is 1847, the year the town was founded, and 1838, the founding of the cotton mill. Guff also added a pair of wings near ground level so folks can take personalized photos.

Guff started the mural on May 18 and finished June 23, painting a total of 18 days during that time. He’d been commuting from his home in High Point.

Originally from New York, Guff said he started doing graffitis in the city and has been painting for some 40 years. He said he returned to murals about four years ago. The past two years he’s concentrated on American flags.

“It’s the biggest job I’ve done so far,” he said of the Franklinville mural. “I was taken aback at first” by the extent of the work. But the concern was pushed to the background once he got going.

“I saw how welcoming the town was, how friendly the people were,” Guff said.

“They were so happy I was doing this. I can’t tell how many friends I’ve made. Some were even paying for my meals” across the street at the Franklinville Diner.

There was one person who was special, Guff said. An 11-year-old girl named Kinsley would ride up on an electric scooter every day to bring him a bottle of water and a bag of chips. 

Because of his warm welcome by the town, Guff said, “I wanted to put everything I had into it. It gave me a sense of pride. I told my wife I want to live here. 

“I can feel the history. It gave me such a good feeling coming here every day. It’s the most special work I’ve done.”

Farias said, “To sit here and watch him do it is amazing. Bobby is a magician. He’s drawn a lot of interest.”

The mural has been such a big event for the town that Farias plans to incorporate it into the July 5 celebration at Riverside Park called America’s Potluck. Prizes will be awarded to whoever can guess how many paint cans Guff used on the mural and to find certain objects on the painting. Farias will have cash, gift certificates and special T-shirts with the theme of the 250th anniversary of independence.