York Hill Restaurant and Star-Lite Supper Club


North of Spencer and across the Yadkin River in Davidson County was an old night club.  Along a twisty old alignment of US 29, the York Hill Restaurant and Star-Lite Supper Club once stood.  Its large sign could be seen by travelers crossing the Wil-Cox Bridge and possibly in later years along Interstate 85.


The old nightspot that had live music and dancing on Saturday nights is long gone.  The building burned to the ground in the 1980s.  In November 2019, a clean-up crew as part of REI's #optoutside program cleared the grounds of decades worth of illegally dumped trash.

A 1980 advertisement for the York Hill Restaurant and Star-Lite Room in the Salisbury Post (Image courtesy Chris Curley)

It looks like the old sign was actually part of the building and that it like many other restaurant and supper clubs of the time had multiple rooms - most likely added on over time.


It is amazing that the sign has withstood the test of time.  A few letters are missing along with the original neon.  If the sign wasn't standing, the York Hill Restaurant would be forgotten and lost in time.


In my internet research, I haven't found much about York Hill.  I did find an image link to an old matchbook that advertised its charcoal-broiled steaks, but that's it.  I am sure that the York Hill and Star-Lite Supper Club were both popular spots back in the day.  It most likely had a number of local bands and possibly performances by some well-known stars.  If you know anything about the York Hill & Star-Lite Supper Club.  Please leave a comment or drop me a line.

All photos were taken by post author - January 30, 2021

How To Find It:
The former York Hill Restaurant sits across from the driveway for the York Hill Yadkin River Access Point.

Comments

Abandoned NC said…
I've recently become interested in this place as well and decided to see what might come up online via search engines.
I'm hoping to do a deep dive through some old newspaper archives and county photo collections and see what turns up. If it amounts to much of anything, I'll make sure and let you know.
Garry F said…
My name is Garry Farrington from Lexington N.C. I was looking at some of the archived info on the club. As it happens I'm a long standing musician and I remember the club and restaurant very well. Fact is I had a band that played music for the dances there years back. This was a very upscale and beautiful building to say the least and the crowds that came were quite in numbers. Also the food there was second to none, the steaks were fabulous. Hate to see the demise of the club,it was my opinion one of a kind.the starlite room where the dances were and the band performed on a stage setup like a gazebo like structure in the center of the ballroom floor and the dancers danced all around the stage. I had a country variety music Band that time and still to this day have a active group. Anyone like to talk with me on the club feel free to email me at garryfarrington6@gmail.com will be glad to speak with you.
Sincere Thanks,