Our domain name coblestudio.com is the registered domain name of the web site for our architectural firm, Wesley M. Coble Architect & Planner, which has been located in Raleigh, N. C. since 1976. This domain name was selected to honor Wesley's great-grandfather, W. M. Coble (1856-1942), grandfather, Albert H. Coble (1880-1964) and cousin, George K. Denmark (1929-2015). These three men were prominent North Carolina photographers. W. M. Coble, was the son of Kimsey M. Coble and grandson of Nancy and Henry Coble, a Lutheran Minister in North Carolina. Nancy and Henry's great-grandparents, Maria Barbara and Hans Georg (Jerg) Kobel, were German immigrants, landing in Philadelphia with their children aboard the ship Hope in 1733. W. M. Coble moved east from his father's farm in Guilford County in 1873, and established art studios in Durham and Trenton. W. M. Coble moved to Trenton sometime after 1880. His studio, W. M. Coble Photographer, was listed in the 1890 and 1900 editions of Branson's North Carolina Business Directory for Trenton. In 1898 W. M. Coble erected an artist gallery at the corner of Jones and Market Streets in Trenton. At a young age, Albert H. Coble worked in his father's jewelry store and photography studio in Trenton. He rode his bicycle through surrounding counties with his camera and tent to make portraits of people along the way. He sent the film back to Trenton for his father to develop and print. W. M. Coble was listed under watches and jewelry, as well as a barber shop in Trenton in the 1903 North Carolina Year Book and Business Directory. By 1895 W. M. Coble and his son were operating a photography studio in Kinston. They formed W. M. Coble and Son, Photographers in 1904 and specialized in fine photography and framing. The studio was located above Tunstall and Hill's furnishings store. The studio was no longer engaged in the jewelry business, as W. M. Coble had done in Durham and Trenton. Albert H. Coble moved to New Bern and operated a photography studio. Thinking that his first born son's death in 1907 may have been caused by local environmental conditions, he moved his family back to Kinston and worked with his father. In 1916 Albert H. Coble moved to Raleigh to take over The Tyree Studio after the death of M. W. Tyree. Tyree was recognized as one of the most artistic photographers in the south. The Tyree Studio was one of Raleigh's largest studios. It was located at 119-1/2 Fayetteville Street above Alfred Williams & Co. Later Albert H. Coble changed the name of the studio. It was listed in the 1921-1922 edition of Hill Directory Co.'s Raleigh directory as Coble Studio, at the same address that The Tyree Studio had been located. Coble Studio prospered until the depression. During the depression, Albert H. Coble moved his family and studio to Smithfield for a short period. Later he moved back to Kinston to work with his father, who was listed as the proprietor for The Coble Studio in the Hills 1928 North Carolina City Directory. Albert H. Coble worked with his father in Kinston until Albert's N. C. National Guard unit was called to active duty during World War II. During the war, his father died. After the war, Albert H. Coble established Coble Studio in Kinston. He was later joined by his grandson, George K. Denmark (1929-2015) after George completed his military service, as a combat infantryman with the 7th Infantry Division during the Korean War. Later they formed Coble-Denmark Studio. George operated the studio after his grandfather's retirement and death. Although the studio was closed after George's retirement in 1976, George remained active as a photographer and teacher until his death. Albert Coble was a gifted photographer and musician. He played the cornet, trumpet and violin, in addition to being a band leader. He was also a violin maker. He commanded the North Carolina National Guard 113th Field Artillery Band before and after it was called to active duty for World War II. He commanded the 196th Field Artillery Band at Ft. Jackson and continued to lead the band after it was ordered to Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. He commanded the 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division Band at Camp Gruber, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, which also served as a German Prisoner of War Internment Camp from May 1943 to June 1946. He also commanded the 174th Infantry Regiment Band at Camp Fannin, in Tyler, Texas, that also served as a German Prisoner of War Internment Camp during World War II. While Albert Coble lived in Raleigh before World War II, he led an ensemble for silent movies, played violin at dinner parties, played violin at Edenton Street Methodist Church and directed the Atlantic Coast Realty Band (which toured the great lakes area during springs and summers and toured Florida during the winter).
 

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