When a North Carolina Town Started Renovating City Hall, They Made a 'Big Find' Behind the Old Walls

Workers got a sweet taste of the past while doing renovations at the city manager's office in Lexington, North Carolina.

They came across barbecue pits believed to date back to the town's first barbecue joint, Beck's Barbecue, from the 1940s and 1950s, WFMY-TV reported.

City Hall renovations reveal 1 of 1st BBQ pits on THE historical site! @barbecuefest @UptownLexington @NewellClark pic.twitter.com/xLGo4joZiK

— City of Lexington (@CityofLexington) February 24, 2015

Lexington City Manager Alan Carson said restaurant owner Alton Beck previously worked for Sid Weaver, founder of the city's now-famous barbecue scene.

While officials and longtime residents knew Beck's was located near where city hall stands today, they didn't know about the existence of the barbecue pits.

"To the heritage of Lexington, it's a big find," Carson told the Triad Business Journal. "It's something that nobody, I think, knew was there, and something that people seem to be interested in seeing."

The pits were discovered in the modern-day conference room of the building, and are believed to have been covered up since the 1980s. As renovations move forward, officials are trying to find a way to make these symbols of the past a representation of the future.

Each year, the city celebrates its culinary history with a barbecue festival. Festival director Stephanie K. Saintsing Naset is looking at how the discoveries could be incorporated into those celebrations.

"They've uncovered a true treasure in our community," Naset said.

And to that, Carson added, "It's certainly something we need to preserve, because our heritage is tied to that."

See some of the photos of the rare barbecue pit finding in the photo slideshow below:

(H/T: WFMY-TV)

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