Phase II Obelisk Piers

2720 Hillsborough St
Raleigh, NC 27607

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Artist David Dahlquist was inspired by Raleigh history as he created Hillsborough Piers: Touchpoints.

The lantern that caps each pier is an abstract representation of the downtown Raleigh streetscape grid. The tiles are repeated on six 8’ 6”H x 2’ 6” x 2’ 6” piers at the intersections of Brooks Avenue, Dixie Trail and Shepard Street along Hillsborough street.

Each cast relief ceramic tile is significant to the character or history of the city. A description of each image follows:

● Botanical imagery depicting NC plants like oak leaves, and tobacco, and dogwood flowers

● The North Carolina state bird: the cardinal

● The abstracted linear patterns are textile designs created by NCSU students and faculty

● One of the portraits depicts Lunsford Lane, an entrepreneur, author and anti-slavery leader

● The other portrait is of Thomas Crowder, a former city of Raleigh council member who was instrumental in the Hillsborough street project

● The colonial American flag

● The two architectural anchors at either end of Hillsborough street, West- Dorton Arena, and East- the State Capital building

● An image of the street car which used to run along Hillsborough Street

● Two historical Raleigh Newspaper clippings: one from the Raleigh Times and one from the North Carolina Gazette