Hill's Gastonia (Gaston County, N.C.) City Directory [1949}, Part 1

Author: Hill Directory Company
Publication date: 1949
Publisher: Hill Directory Company
Number of Pages: 904


USA > North Carolina > Gaston County > Gastonia > Hill's Gastonia (Gaston County, N.C.) City Directory [1949} > Part 1


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J. Y. TODD AGENCY INSURANCE


201-03 National Bank of Commerce Bldg. Phone 5-4621


Furnish Your Home Completely at


RUSTIN FURNITURE COMPANY, INC.


266-282 W. MAIN AVE. PHONE 6366 It's a Fact -"You Can Save Money at Rustin's"


SPENCER LUMBER CO.


INCORPORATED


Building Materials


Lumber, Millwork, Brick, Lime, Cement, Plaster, Sheetrock, Roofing, All Kinds. Builders' Hardware and!Paints, Wall Paper, Insulation


---.


·


CORNER S. MARIETTA and 7th AVE.


TELEPHONE 5-3486


GASTONIA NORTH CAROLINA


CONSULT US ABOUT YOUR INS SE Furniture Store Gastonia's Leading ALL LINES WRITTEN SERVICE UNEXCELLED


Boyce Insurance Agency Dial 5-3821


DUNAWAY BATTERY & ELECTRIC CO. Complete Auto Electric Service - Johnson Outboard Motors PHONE DAY 5-1871


262 E. FRANKLIN AVE.


MAXWELL BROS. & MORRIS


A


The GASTONIA MILL SUPPLY CO.


Distributors of NATIONALLY KNOWN LINES


ALEMITE-Lubricating AMERICAN-Wood Sc ARMSTRONG-Pipe T ATKINS-Hack Saw Bl BILLINGS & SPENCER- BLACK & DECKER-Pc BOICE-CRANE-Produc BROWN & SHARPE- DAVID-BROWN-Spool CARBORUNDUM-Abr Wheels CHASE-Brass Pipe o CLARK-Steam Traps COLUMBIA-Rope CLIPPER-Belt Lacing DODGE-Transmission DRONSSIELD-Atlas EI FAFNIR-Ball Bearings FAIRBANKS-Scales FAIRBANKS-MORSE-V Pumps, Motors, D FAULTLESS-Rollers a FERRY-Cap and Set £ GALLUN-Roller Leather GAMISCO-Bobbin Enamel GAMISCO-Leather Belting GOODYEAR-Mechanical Rubber Goods HALSEY TAYLOR-Water Coolers and Fountains . HASKELL-Bolts and Nuts HEIN-WERNER-Hydraulic Jacks HOPE-Spinning Tape HUMPHRYES-Plumbing Fixtures HYGRADE-Lamps


HYGRADE-Fluorescent Lighting INGERSOLL-RAND-Air Compressors IRON FIREMAN-Oil Burners, Boilers and Furnaces


DUKE


UNIVERSITY


ditio rt ar


LIBRARY


Insulation and Packing [-Steel Shafting


on ners, Taps, Cutters Presses


d Roller Cloths Roller Cloths ators, Cellar Drainers


guishers


Equipment ts, Oil Water Heaters


1ks OR-Plumbing Fixtures and Wrenches


rooms Boxes and Trucks STEEL-Cap, Set ind Lock Nuts


SILPHENYSUN-DeIT Dressing STOCKHAM-Pipe Fittings SYKES-Stripper Fillets SYLVANIA-Lamps and Fixtures TALCOTT-Belt Fasteners THOMPSON-Milford Hack Saw and Band Saw Blades UNITED STATES-Ring Travelers WALWORTH-Genuine Stilson Wrenches WHEELING Pipe WINSLOW-Sheep and Calf Skins WYANDOTTE-Cleaning Products YALE & TOWNE-Locks and Holsts YARNALL-Palnts, Enamels, Stains, Etc.


613 East Franklin Ave. Phone 5-3491


HILL DIRECTORY CO.'S


Ausland Chamber of Commerce 0 COCKER MACHINE & FOUNDRY COMPANY


Manufacturers of Textile Machinery


GASTONIA


NORTH CAROLINA


HIGH SPEED WARPERS AND CREELS for Warping Rayon yarns from Cones, Spools and Tubes.


HIGH SPEED WARPERS AND CREELS for Warping Cotton yarn.


SLOW SPEED WARPERS AND CREELS for Warping Rayon yarns from Spools.


HIGH SPEED CREELS for Silk System Sectional Warpers, Warping Synthetic yarns from Cones, Spools and Tubes.


SLOW SPEED CREELS for Silk System Sectional Warpers, Warping Synthetic yarns from Spools.


SIZING MACHINES (or Slashers) for Warp Sizing of Cotton yarn, also for Sizing of Synthetic yarns by Cotton or Silk System method.


DIRECT BEAMING WARPERS for Warping direct to loom beam, from Spools, Tubes and Cones.


COMBINATION WARPING-GASSING MACHINES, Warping and Gassing Cotton yarns from Cones and Twister Bobbins in one operation.


WARP GASSING MACHINES, gassing cotton yarns from chain or beam Warp to Beam or Ball Warp.


WARP DYEING MACHINES, for handling all colors by Continuous System or Scotch System of Warp Dyeing.


WARP BEAMING MACHINES of all types.


WARP HANDLING EQUIPMENT, consisting of Warp Balling, Warp Linking, Warp Snaking, Warp Wrapping, Warp Unwrapping, Warp Folding, Warp Splitting and Warp Coiling Machines.


WARPER SUPPLIES consisting of Skewers, Expansion Combs, etc.


CLOTH DYEING, BLEACHING AND FINISHING EQUIPMENT, consisting of Dry Cans, Soapers, Washers, Squeezers, Mangles, Singeing Machines, Demalting Ma- chines, Single and Multi-Compartment Dyeing Machines, Dye Jigs, Folders, etc. INSPECTING MACHINES, for both Yarn and Cloth.


COMPLETE UNITS - WARPERS and SLASHERS


For Warp Preparation of Cotton and Rayon Yarns


Write us for cuts and any desired information on any of the above Machinery in which you may be interested.


GASTONIA CITY DIRECTORY


C


W. A. FREDERICK


TELEPHONE 5-0255


KINGS MOUNTAIN FOUNDRY


GASTONIA, NORTH CAROLINA


Textile Work


Box 2788


Our Specialty


N. Marietta St.


Service - Quality


Price


We Specialize in Sandtooth Gears


of All Types


HILL DIRECTORY CO.'S


.


HILL'S GASTONIA (GASTON COUNTY, N. C.) CITY DIRECTORY Vol. 1949 VIII


Including Arkray Mills Village, Arlington Heights, Arlington Mills Village, Armstrong Development, Brookwood, Dixon Mills Village, Fairmont Park, Flint Mills Village No.'s 1 and 2, Forest Hill, Groves Mills Village, Hillcrest, Linwood Park, Mutual Mills Village, Myrtle Mills Village, Osceola Mills Village, Ruby Mills Village, Seminole Mills Village, Victory Mills Village, West View Heights and Winget Mills Village


Containing an Alphabetical Directory of Business Concerns and Private Citizens, a Directory of Householders, Occupants of Office Buildings and Other Business Places, Including a Complete Street and Avenue Guide; also a


BUYERS' GUIDE


and a Complete


Classified Business Directory FOR CONTENTS SEE INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX ON PAGE III


MORE GOODS


ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD THROUGH THE


CLASSIFIED BUSINESS LISTS


PRICE


OF THE


$20.00


DIRECTORY THAN ANY OTHER MEDIUM


ON EARTH


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers 207 Governor Street, Richmond 6, Va.


-


DIRECTORY LIBRARY FOR FREE USE OF PUBLIC AT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


Member Association of North American Directory Publishers


Copyright, 1949, by Hill Directory Co .. Inc,


Section 28, Copyright Law In Force July 7, 1909


That any person who wilfully and for profit shall infringe any copyright secured by this act, or who shall knowingly or wilfully aid or abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not exceeding one year, or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or both, in the discretion of the court.


ASSOCIATION OF


PHO


PUBLICO


NORTH AMERICAN


KITY


189


DIRE DIRCUDIREO


DIRECTORY


DIRICDRECDRIG


PUBLISHERS


PUBLISHERS NOTE


The information in this Directory is gathered by an actual canvass and is compiled in a way to insure maximum accuracy.


The publishers cannot and do not guarantee the cor- rectness of all information furnished them nor the complete absence of errors or omissions, hence no responsibility for same can be or is assumed.


The publishers earnestly. request the bringing to their attention of any inaccuracy so that it may be corrected in the next edition of the directory.


Hill Directory Co .. Inc, Publishers


INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., publishers of Southeastern Directories, present to subscribers and the general public, this, the 1949 edition of the Gastonia City Directory, which also includes Arkray Mills Village, Arling- ton Heights, Arlington Mills Village, Armstrong Development, Brookwood, Dixon Mills Village, Fairmont Park, Flint Mills Village Nos. 1 and 2, Forest Hill, Groves Mills Village, Hillcrest, Linwood Park, Mutual Mills Village, Myrtle Mills Village, Osceola Mills Village, Ruby Mills Village, Seminole Mills Village, Victory Mills Village, West View Heights and Winget Mills Village.


Confidence in the growth of Gastonia's industry, population and wealth, and in the advancement of its civic and social activities, will be ·maintained as sections of this Directory are consulted, for the Directory is a mirror truly reflecting Gastonia to the world.


The enviable position occupied by HILL'S Directories in the estima- tion of the public, has been established by rendering the best in Directory service. With an unrivaled organization, and having had the courteous and hearty co-operation of the business and professional men and residents, the publishers feel that the result of their labors will meet with the approval of every user, and that the Gastonia Directory will fulfill its mission as a source of authentic information pertaining to the community.


Four Major Departments (Each department beginning with Page 1)


The four major departments are arranged in the following order :-


I. THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES of residents and business and professional concerns is the first major department, printed on white paper. This is the only record in existence that aims to show the name, marital status, occupation and address of each adult resident of Gastonia and vicinity, and the name, official personnel, nature and address of each firm and corporation.


II. THE BUYERS' GUIDE, the second major department, printed on goldenrod paper, contains the advertisements of leading manufacturing, business and professional interests of Gastonia and vicinity. The adver- tisements are indexed under headings descriptive of the business repre- sented. This is reference advertising at its best, and merits a survey by all buyers eager to familiarize themselves with sources of supply. In a progressive community like Gastonia, the necessity of having this kind of information immediately available, is obvious. General appreciation of thisfact is evidenced by the many reference users of this City Directory service.


593291


INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX


III. THE CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY is the third major department, printed on yellow paper. This department lists the names of all business and professional concerns of the whole community in alpha- betical order under appropriate headings. This feature constitutes an in- valuable and indispensable catalog of the numerous interests of the com- munity. The Directory is the common intermediary between buyer and seller. As such it plays an important part in the daily activities of the commercial and professional world. More buyers and sellers meet through the Classified Business Directory than through any other medium.


IV. THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE, on pink paper, is the fourth major department. In this section the named streets are arranged in alphabetical order, followed by the numbered streets in numerical order, the numbers of the residences and business concerns are arranged in numerical order under the name of each street, and the names of the householders and concerns are placed opposite the numbers. The names of the intersecting streets appear at their respective crossing points on each street. Special features of this section are the designation of tenant-owned homes and the designation of homes and places of business having telephones.


Community Publicity


The Directory reflects the achievements and ambitions of the com- munity, depicting in unbiased terms what it has to offer as a place of resi- dence, as a business location, as a manufacturing site andas an educational center. To broadcast this information, the publishers have placed copies of this issue of the Directory in Directory Libraries, where they are readily available for free public reference, and serve as perpetual and reliable advertisements of Gastonia and vicinity.


The Gastonia Directory Library


Through the courtesy of the publishers of the Gastonia City Directory, a Directory Library is maintained in the offices of the Gastonia Chamber of Commerce, for free reference by the general public. This is one of more than 600 Directory Libraries installed in the chief cities of the U. S. and Canada by members of the Association of North American Directory Publishers, under whose supervision the system is operated.


.


The publishers appreciatively acknowledge the recognition by those progressive business and professional men who have demonstrated their confidence in the City Directory as an advertising medium, with assurance that it will bring a commensurate return.


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers.


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


PAGE NUMBERS BELOW REFER TO THE BUYERS' GUIDE SECTION, THE YELLOW PAGES


Page


Acme Petroleum & Fuel Co, Inc


Adams Ice & Coal Co, Inc . right and left lip margin, right top lines 3 and 33


right top lines and 34


Aetna Loan & Finance Co.


.left side lines and 73


Alexander Machine Co, Inc.


106


American Textile Sheet Metal Works, Inc.


X


Andrews Music Co


Armstrong Arnold


Auto-Electric, Inc. .back cover and


4


Barker Supply Co


.left side lines and


31


Barker's Florist


left center lines and


50


Barkley Machine Works.


Belton Typewriter Co


left center lines and


99 114


-Bess J F & Co.


Z


Beveridge H & Co.


Beveridge Metal Products, Inc


Blacks' Gray Iron Foundry.


Boyce Insurance Agency


front cover and


Broughton W K.


Brown's Radio & Electric Service . left center lines and Bryant Electric Repair Co, Inc. .. front cover, left side lines and Bryant Supply Co, Inc back cover, left side lines and Bumgardner Body Shop


Cannon Motor Sales


Carolina Cleaners right center lines and


Carolina Hardware & Supply Co, Inc. left side lines and 62


Carothers Funeral Home left top lines and


Carpenter & Robinson Motor Co, Inc


right top lines and


Carson Sporting Goods Co


left side lines and


Carter A B, Inc .


Citizens National Bank The. . .front stencil, left bottom lines and


25


City Body Shop


.right side lines and 21


City Coach Co


City Lumber Co .right side lines and


. . left side lines and


City Wrecker Service & Garage


right center lines and


Cocker Machine & Foundry Co


Coffey Body Shop


right top lines and


65


Costner Funeral Home


Craig Motor Co .


Craven Mack & Son Transfer


Creasman Steel Roller Machine Co, Inc


Cumberland Coal Co.


.right side lines and


Davis Gulf Service Station


.right side lines and


21


Dixie Coal Co


right side lines and


35


Dixie Furniture Co.


.left side lines and


56 101


Duke Power Co


Y


Dunaway Battery & Electric Co


front cover and 7


Edwards John


. left bottom lines and 14


Efird's Department Store


left top lines and 40


Elliott and Little Furniture Co


.left side lines and


61


Evans College of Commerce.


32


Ferguson Gear Co .


101


Firestone Service Stores


8


593291


54 20 93 100


City Paint Store, Inc


back cover, right side lines and


31 74 81 13 B 21


Colonial Ice Co


53 6 113 100 34


Dixie Machinery Co, Inc


99 107 53 66 32 45 46 47 13 5 42


84


20


VI


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


First Federal Savings & Loan Association


right bottom lines and · 88


Fox Coal Co


Franklin Hardware Co.


Gaston Body Shop.


Gaston Electric Co, Inc


Gaston Inn The. .


Gaston Service Co


Gastonia Appliance Co, Inc. : right bottom lines and Gastonia Belting & Supply Co, Inc


Gastonia Brush Co


Gastonia Coca-Cola Bottling Co


Gastonia Combed Yarn Corp.


Gastonia Concrete Products Co


Gastonia Fuel Co .


Gastonia Insurance Agency, Inc.


Gastonia Lumber Co.


Gastonia Merchants Oil Co. Gastonia Mill Supply Co


Gastonia Mutual Building & Loan Association


. . left top lines and


Gastonia Plumbing & Heating Co, Inc .


right center lines and


Gastonia Roller, Flyer & Spindle Co, Inc


. right top linės and


Gastonia Sheet Metal Works .


left center lines and


Gastonia Textile Sheet Metal Works, Inc.


Gastonia Venetian Blind Shop .


Gem Jewelry Co, Inc. .left side lines and


General Sales & Equipment Co, Inc right center lines and


Gene's Soda Shop & Restaurant. .right side lines and


Good Will Press. . left center lines and


Gossett Machine Works, Inc .


Griffin Supply Co .


Grigg A F Sheet Metal Works right center lines and


Guthrie Machine Shop


Holland Sheet Metal Works. left center lines and


Holsum Baking Co .right side lines and Home Finance Co


Hope T G Jr right center lines and


Howe Distributing Co


left top lines and


Industrial Finance Co, Inc


Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Co of Greensboro, N C .


Jenkins C Frank.


Jenkins Cleaners . right center lines and


Jenkins George A Jr


left top lines and


Johnson H V & Son . . right top lines and


Johnston's Furniture Co


Kennedy's Rexall Drug Store right top lines and


Kincaid Engineering Co.


Kincaid Insurance Agency


Kings Mountain Foundry


Kluttz Machine & Foundry Co, Inc .


103 89 Ladd Sea Foods .


Lawson W D & Co, Inc.


113 86


Leventis P P & Co


Lewis Florist .right side lines and


51


Lewis Motors, Inc right bottom lines and


9


Lineberger Realty Co


87


Long Bros 93


88 85. 102 110 92 103 90 24 23 94 64 15 24 65 71 43 71 91 36 60 40 109 72 C


Hower's T Q Garage


Jenkins Metal Shops, Inc


right center lines and


Gastonia Radiator Shop


left bottom lines and


Ford-Riddle Funeral Home, Inc ribbon book mark, left center lines 2 and 55 35 63 21 49 65 14 49 107 .left side lines and 30 .back cover and 27 111 left center lines and 36 right side lines and .back cover and 35 67 left top lines and 75 .right side lines and .A and 81 108 89 85 22 102 92 93 114 72 15


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


VII


Loughridge Motor Co, Inc


right bottom lines and


Lytten Sales & Repair .left side lines and


Martin's Funeral Home .


Matthews-Belk Co right top lines and


Maxwell Bros & Morris.


front cover and


Mayhue's


McLean & Son Funeral Home . right bottom lines and


McLurd & Babington . . left bottom lines and


McNabb-Cauble, Inc . left top lines and


Mills & Marine Electric, Inc


right bottom lines and


Mitcham & Co .


Moore & Stewart, Inc.


Morris Jewelry Co, Inc.


Morris Motor & Glass Co .right side lines and


Mott Motor Co, Inc .


National Bank of Commerce .backbone, left side lines and


Nelson Iron & Metal Co .


Nesbitt Bottling Co, Inc. right center lines and New York Life Insurance Co.


- Norlander-Young Machine Co.


Norris Supply & Machine Co. .left side lines and


Orange Crush-Double Cola Bottling Co.


Parkdale Mills, Inc. .


Parker Bros Esso Service


.right side lines and


Penegar O G Co .


back cover, right side lines and


Petroleum Transportation, Inc .back cover and


Piedmont Iron Works


Piedmont Motors, Inc


Powell Motor Co


Public Service Co of N C, Inc. left top lines and


Puritan Furniture Manufacturers Outlet .. . right center lines and R & W Cleaners


Rankin-Armstrong Co, Inc . . right top lines and


Rankin Grady & Sons. .right side lines and


Ranlo Coal & Oil Co right center lines and


Ranlo Lumber Co. left center lines and


Rawlings-Todd Co, Inc The .left side lines and


Recreation Bowl. .


Red Front Cleaners .left side lines and


Rhyne M A & Sons


Roosevelt Tire Service


Roy's, Inc.


Rudisill-Colvin Motors, Inc


Rustin Furniture Co, Inc


front cover, left bottom lines and


Sahms Textile Shop.


Saunders Dry Cleaning Co right bottom lines and


Schneider Leon I, Inc


Simmons-Auto Electric . . left bottom lines and


19 105


Smith Brothers


Smith Chevrolet Co, Inc . top stencil and 11


41


Southern Supply Co, Inc .


right center lines and


63


Spencer Machinery & Supply Co


left top lines and


Spencer-Rhyne Co, Inc


. right bottom lines and


Spindle Cafeteria The


.left side lines and 88


Standard Hardware Co, Inc


.right bottom lines and 64


Sterchi Bros Stores, Inc


right top lines and


61


Stewart Machine Co, Inc


95


Stovall's Brass Foundry


52


Sunrise Dairy


bottom stencil and 38


Superior Bolster Co


106


1


Smith's Farm Supply Co & Hatchery


Smith's Cut Rate Drug Stores, Inc. . right bottom lines and 50


Spencer Lumber Co, Inc


front cover and 77 109 80


Page 16 73


56 39


57 16 56 70 -93 48 104 87 72 17 17 26 89 28 70 104 78 28 112 18 79 83 106 10 22


62 60 41 58 18 36 76 49 29 44 37 19 72 22 59 105 44 39


VIII


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Talley's Florist.


, left center lines and 51


Tanner Machine Co. .


40


Textile Machine & Supply Co


Textile Parts & Machine Co, Inc .


Thomas Motor Sales .


. left bottom lines and


Todd F C, Inc


.left side lines and


Todd J Y Agency


front cover and


United Dry Cleaners . .left side lines and


Veterans' Cab Co. left center lines and


94


W GN C Radio Station


left side lines


Walker G G Motor Co, Inc


Ward-Paysour Funeral Service, Inc.


tabbed insert.at name


Ware J White.


Watson Insurance Agency, Inc .right side lines and


69


Western Auto Associate Store .right side lines and


Whisnant-Williams Furniture Co


.right side lines and


12 61 71


Whitesides & Co . left bottom lines and


Williams E S & Sons . left center lines and


81


Williams Paint Service left center lines and


82


Wilson Jim Auto Service right center lines and


23


Winget's, Inc. . left bottom lines and


73


Wright Brothers


right center lines and


37


Wright-Fair Real Estate Co


87


-


96 97 20 98 68 45


23


86


GASTONIA


"THE COMBED COTTON YARN MANUFACTURING CENTER OF AMERICA"


(Courtesy Gastonia Chamber of Commerce)


Statistical Review


Form of Government-City manager-council (Plan D).


Population-1940 U. S. Census for city proper, 21,313; Greater Gastonia, 33,487. Present estimated population, Gastonia, 24,000; Greater Gastonia, 39,000. American-born, 99.3 per cent. Predominating nationality of foreign-born residents, Greek.


Area-4.8 square miles.


Altitude-825 feet above sea level.


Climate-Mean annual temperature, 60.6 degrees F .; average annual rainfall, 45.87 inches.


Parks-4, with total of 61 acres, valued at $85,000.


Assessed Valuation-$26,353, 773, with $1.25 per $100 tax rate.


Bonded Debt-$2,103,000 gross; $976,120 net.


Financial Data-2 banks, with total assets of $31,539,628 (Dec. 31, 1948). 2 building and loan associations, with total assets of $4,129,000 (Dec. 31, 1948).


Postal Receipts-1930, $65,841.25; 1940, $102,002.45; 1948, $289, 711.03.


Telephones in Service-7,200.


Churches-29, representing 12 denominations.


.Industry-Chief industry of city and surrounding territory is textile manufacturing. Total of 138 manufacturing plants of all classifications, with annual payroll of $30,000,000. Principal manufactured products: Cotton yarn, textile machinery, sewing thread, tire fabric, motor oil filters, and numerous other textile and miscellaneous products.


Trade Area-Retail area has radius of 25 miles, with over 250,000 population.


Newspapers-1 daily, Gastonia Gazette; circulation, 18,201.


Radio Stations-WGNC, 250-watt, dial 1450; WLTC, 1,000-watt, dial 1370.


Hotels-4, with total of 240 rooms.


- Railroads-3: Southern, Carolina & Northwestern, and Piedmont & Northern (electric).


Highways-U. S. 29, 74 and 321.


Airports-1 landing field on outskirts of city, 1 airport, and 2 air- ports near Charlotte, about 15 miles distant.


Amusements-Largest auditorium in city seats, 1,654 persons. 5 motion-picture theatres, with total seating capacity of 3,200 persons. 2 golf courses.


Hospitals-4, with total of 294 beds.


Education-10 public schools, with 6,551 pupils enrolled, and 201 teachers. Value of public school property, $1,750,000.


Public Libraries-1, with 44,618 volumes and 367,209 circulation.


City Statistics-Total street mileage, 60, with 38 miles paved and several miles under construction. Miles of gas mains, 87; sewers, 74.2. Number of water meters, 6187; light meters, 5,849; gas meters, 1,556. Capacity of water works, 4,500,000 gallons; daily average pumpage, 4,000, 000 gallons; miles of mains, 102; value of plant, $1,182,380. Number of fire hydrants, 447; street lights, 809. Fire department has 32 men, with 2 stations and 6 pieces of motor equipment. Value of fire department pro- perty, $72,000. Police department has 40 men, with 1 station and 7 pieces of motor equipment.


X


INTRODUCTION


History and Location


The area of which Gastonia is the trade center began to be settled about the year 1735 by Scotch-Irish and Germans who had previously settled temporarily in Pennsylvania. These sturdy pioneers were attracted by the genial climate, the numerous springs and streams, and the fertile, virgin soil. It should be said in testimony of their fairness and right living that the powerful tribe of Catawba Indians, into whose midst the settlers came, assumed a friendly attitude toward their white brothers and often fought with them against other Indian tribes and also in their conquests for freedom during the Revolutionary War. It is not surprising to find from the pages of history, therefore, that the battle of Kings Mountain, the turning point of the Revolutionary War, should have been fought twenty miles from Gastonia by those early pioneers who prized their religious and political freedom so highly.


Romantic Growth


The manufacturing industry began to develop in this community in 1848 when the Mountain Island and Woodlawn cotton mills were built. During the next 24 years only one other industry came into being, and it was not until 1872, after the War between the States, that real industrial development began. In 1888 there were eight manufacturing plants in the county.


It was in 1872 that the first railroad was built through Gaston County, making available to the manufacturers of the area raw material supplies and the consuming markets of the world.


Gastonia was a cross-roads village in 1880, with a population of 236. It was incorporated as a town in 1877, and the charter was amended in 1910, changing the name from the Town of Gastonia to the City of Gastonia .- Each decennial census has recorded a marvelous growth in popula- tion. Population figures since 1880 have been as follows: 1880, 236; 1890, 1,033; 1900, 4,610; 1910, 5,759; 1920, 12,871; 1930, 17,093; 1940, 21,313; 1949 estimated, 24,000.


An aerial view of Gastonia's principal business district.


INTRODUCTION


XI


Machinery made in Gastonia Finds Its Way to the Far Corners of the Earth.


Gastonia is located on U. S. Highway No. 29 from Washing- ton to Atlanta, which highway is frequently referred to as the Main Street of North Carolina.




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