Hill's Gastonia (Gaston County, N.C.) City Directory [1958], Part 1

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1958
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 940


USA > North Carolina > Gaston County > Gastonia > Hill's Gastonia (Gaston County, N.C.) City Directory [1958] > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


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G


GLOBE - WERNICKE


SPENCER'S, Inc. I


OFFICE SUPPLIES - MACHINES - EQUIPMENT


257-59 W. Main Av. Phone UNiversity 5- 2356


CAROLINA FLORIST


FLOWERS and GIFTS WERNER and ANNE B. HOLFELD, Props.


508 S. York St. Tel. UNiversity 5-1218


200 W. Main Av. Tel. UNiversity 7-7166


CITY LUMBER COMPANY, INC.


DEALER IN


1866 CURTIS WOODWORK SILENTITE the Insulated window


and A Complete Line of


BUILDING MATERIALS


733-739 N. Marietta St. Phone UNiversity 7-7208


Aclean & Son Funeral Home


GASTONIA'S OLDEST FUNERAL DIRECTOR


AMBULANCE SERVICE Phone UNiversity 5-3451


206 S. Broad St.


Cocker Machine & Foundry Company Manufacturers of Textile Machinery P.O. Box 431 Gastonia, N.C.


Plant and Office Ranlo, N.C.


Tel. VAlley 4-3565


See THE YELLOW PAGES


WESTINGHOUSE INDUSTRIAL AGENTS


AVAN SERVICE


8


PHONE UNiversity 5-3466


ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS


BRYANT ELECTRIC REPAIR COMPANY, INC.


605-09 E. FRANKLIN AVENUE


THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA


LUX


THE COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA PRESENTED BY


Greensboro Chamber of Commerce


olts


Tools


ools


ns


CARBORUNDUM - Abrasives, Cloth and Wheels


CHASE - Brass Pipe and Fittings


CLARK - Automatic Controls


CLARK - Steam Traps


COLUMBIA - Rope


CLIPPER - Belt Lacing


DIXON - Crayons


DODGE - Transmission Complete


DRONSFIELD - Atlas Emery Fillet


FAFNIR - Ball Bearings


FAIRBANKS - Scales


FAIRBANKS-MORSE - Water Systems, Pumps, Motors, Diesel Engines


FERRY - Cap and Set Screws


FURNAS - Electrical Controls


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 HYGRADE - Lamps HYGRADE - Fluorescent Lighting


INGERSOLL-RAND - Air Compressors JENKINS - Valves


JOHNS-MANVILLE - Insulation and Packing


ASTONIA UPPLY CO.


tributors of LY KNOWN LINES


JONES & LAUGHLIN - Steel Shafting


LOWELL - Mill Crayon LUFKIN - Tools


er Tools MORSE - Drills, Reamers, Taps, Cutters


NICHOLSON - Arbor Presses


NICHOLSON - Files


PAIGE - Slasher and Roller Cloths


PENBERTHY - Lubricators, Cellar Drainers


PLEWS - Oilers


PYRENE - Fire Extinguishers


RELIABLE - Sprinkler Equipment


RHEEM - Electric, Gas, Oil Water Heaters


RICHMOND - Oil Tanks


RICHMOND RADIATOR - Plumbing Fixtures


RIDGE - Pipe Tools and Wrenches


SOUTHWESTERN - Brooms


CONTINENTAL DIAMOND - Fibre Boxes and Trucks


STANDARD PRESSED STEEL - Cap, Set Socket Screws and Lock Nuts


STANLEY - Tools


STARRET - Tools


STEPHENSON - Belt Dressing


STOCKHAM - Pipe Fittings


SYKES - Stripper Fillets


SYL VANIA - Lamps and Fixtures


TALCOTT - Belt Fasteners


THOMPSON - Milford Hack Saw and


Band Saw Blades


UNITED STATES - Ring Travelers


WAL WORTH - Genuine Stilson Wrenches


WHEELING - Pipe


WILLIAMS - Wrenches


WINSLOW - Sheep and Calf Skins


WISS - Shears


WYANDOTTE - Cleaning Products


YALE & TOWNE - Locks and Hoists


YARNALL - Paints, Enamels, Stains, Etc.


613 East Franklin Ave.


Phone UNiversity 7-7221


HILL DIRECTORY CO. 'S


DRUG


STORE


Inc.


Prescription Called for And Delivered Anywhere In Gastonia®


DIAL University 5-2366


FREE DELIVERY SERVICE


611 E. Franklin Av.


A


,


'S


C971.36 G25h


1958


B


COCKER MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO.


MANUFACTURERS OF TEXTILE MACHINERY


FACILITIES INCLUDE: Patterns, Foundry, Machining, Stainless Steel Fabrication and Sheet Metal Work, Assembly and Engineering.


HIGH SPEED WARPER and CREELS for all synthetic and natural fibres HIGH SPEED SIZERS and CREELS for all synthetic and natural fibres CYLINDER and STEAM DRYING CHAMBERS


SPECIAL SIZE BOXES and DYE BOXES, ( BALL WARPING, SINGEING, LINKING, CC INDIGO DYEING and SLASHEI


METALLIC YARN WINDERS - 1


SPECIAL TEXTILE MACHINER JOB WORK in foundry, stainless steel


machine sl


MANUFACTURERS OF OTHEI


Write us for cuts and any desi the above Machinery in which


Plant and Office


P. O. Box 431, Gastonia


This book must not be taken from the Library building.


T


DRUG STORE


Inc.


MIAL


5-2008


FREE DELIVERY SERVICE


611 E. Fraskis


GASTONLA CITY DIRECTORY


W


'S T


C


STOVALL'S FOUNDRY


HIGH GRADE GRAY IRON CASTINGS BRASS, BRONZE and ALUMINUM TENSLOY CASTINGS


PARTS MADE FOR ALL KINDS OF MACHINERY


Textile Gear Blanks Our Specialty


PHONES Plant: UNiversity 5-4441 Residence: UNiversity 5-1619


PLANT York Road Cor. Bush, Gastonia, N.C.


HILL'S GASTONIA


( GASTON COUNTY, N. C. ) CITY DIRECTORY 1958


INCLUDING


Armstrong Development, Flint Mills Villages No.'s 1 and 2 Groves Mills Village, Ranlo, Smyre and West View Heights.


Containing an Alphabetical Directory of Business Concerns and Private Citi- Zens, a Directory of Householders, Occupants of Office Buildings and Other Business Places, Including a Complete Street and Avenue Guide and a Numerical Telephone Directory; also the


YELLOW PAGES


With a Special ADVERTISING SECTION and a Complete CLASSIFIED LIST FOR CONTENTS SEE INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX


RULICO


10 ASSOCIATION


NORTH AMERICA


AS


1898


$40.00


PRICE


MIZE


UBLISHERS


DIRECTORY


HILL DIRECTORY CO., INC., Publishers


2910 W. Clay St., PO Box 767, Richmond 6, Va.


DIRECTORY LIBRARY FOR FREE USE OF PUBLIC AT GASTONIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 601 W FRANKLIN AVE.


Member Association of North American Directory Publishers


Copyright, 1958, 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


PRO


Bowo


RBLICO


NORTH AMERICAN


1898


ZED


DIRE DIREUDIREC


DIRECTORY


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, (pub- lishers of the Gastonia City Directory since 1934), present to subscribers and the general public, this, the 1958 edition of the Gastonia City Directory, which also includes Armstrong Development, Flint Mills Villages Nos. 1 and 2, Groves Mills Village, Ranlo, Smyre and West View Heights.


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 sec- tions of this Directory are consulted, for the Directory is a mirror truly re- flecting Gastonia to the world.


The enviable position occupied by HILL'S Directories in the estimation of the public, has been established by rendering the best in Directory service. With an unrivaled organization, and having had the courteous and hearty coop- eration 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 in- formation pertaining to the community.


Four Major Departments


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


I. THE YELLOW PAGES constitute the first major department of the Direc- tory. This embraces a complete list of the names and addresses of the business and professional concerns of the city and vicinity, arranged in alphabetical order under appropriate headings-a catalog of all the activities of the city and vicinity. Preceding this catalog, likewise grouped under appropriate headings, are the advertisements and business cards of firms and individuals desiring to present a more complete list of their products or services than is possible in the catalog itself. The Yellow Pages represent reference advertising at its best, and merit the attention of all buyers and sellers seeking sources of supply or markets for goods. In a progressive community like Gastonia, the necessity of having this kind of information up-to-date and always immediately available, is obvious. The Directory is the common intermediary betweenbuyer and seller, and plays an important role in the daily activities of the commercial, industrial and professional world.


Il. THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES of residents and business and professional concerns is the second 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, Armstrong Develop- ment, Flint Mills Villages Nos. 1 and 2, Groves Mills Village, Ranlo, Smyre and West View Heights, and the name, official personnel, nature and address of each firm and corporation.


111. THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STREET AND AV- ENUE GUIDE, is the third major department printed on green paper. In this section the numbered streets are arranged in numerical order, followed by the named streets in alphabetical order; the numbers of the residences and busi- ness concerns are arranged in numerical order under the name of each street, and the names of the householders and concerns are placed opposite the num- bers. 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 listing of telephone numbers.


1 A IV. THE NUMERICAL TELEPHONE DIRECTORY, on blue paper, is the fourth major department.


Community Publicity


The Directory reflects the achievements and ambitions of the community, depicting in unbiased terms what it has to offer as a place of residence, as a


192539


IV


INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX


business location, as a manufacturing site and as 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 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 Di- rectory Library is maintained in the offices of the Gastonia Chamber of Com- merce, for free reference by the general public. This is one of more than 700 Directory Libraries installed in the chief cities of the U. S. and Canada by mem - bers of the Association of North American Directory Publishers, under whose supervision the system is operated.


The publishers appreciatively acknowledge the recognition by those progres- sive 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 ADVERTISING SECTION THE YELLOW PAGES


Page


Acme Petroleum & Fuel Co Inc . bottom stencil, right side lines and 65


Aetna Loan & Finance Co . . left top lines


Akers Center Hardware & Supply left bottom cards and 79


Akers Center Pharmacy left top cards, X and 48


Atkins Ennis Studio right top cards and 111


B & S Machine Co Inc


62


Barker's Florist .


141


Beal Jno L Builders Supplies Inc .


70


Beattie & Norton Furniture Co Inc


Beveridge H & Co .


126 78 52


Bou Laundry & Cleaners Inc


Boulevard Auto Wreckers


Bradley Flyer & Repair Co Insert at Name in Alphabetical Section and 127


123


Brewer's Sinclair Service


Brown's Radio & Electric Service back cover and 53


Bryant Electric Repair Co Inc front cover and 54


C & W Roller Shop Inc left side lines and 141


Cable's Gulf Service right side lines and 11


Caldwell Robert F Insurance Agency


back cover, right side lines and


85


Caldwell's Drug Store Inc


front and back lip margins, right side lines, 49 and 110


Carolina Cleaners


Carolina Florist front cover, right top lines and 63


156


Carolina Freight Carriers Corp


right bottom lines and 142


Carolina Transfer & Storage Co Inc


Carothers Funeral Homes Ltd Insert at Phones Numerically and 68


Carpenter Insurance Agency right bottom cards and 91 93


Carson's Laundry


Carter A B Inc . right bottom cards and 128


Citizens National Bank The .. front stencil, left top and bottom lines, 15 and 17 City Lumber Co Inc . front cover, right side lines, 29 and 95 City Paint Store Inc . 107


Cocker Machine & Foundry Company


Cohen's Inc front cover, left top cards, B, 98 and 129


left bottom lines and 87


Comer J T & Co


Consolidated Credit Corp


left bottom cards and 94 70


Costner Funeral Home


left side lines and 130


D & W Leather Products


right side lines and


93


Dobbins L C Service Co .


59 118


Dog-N-Suds


right side lines and 94


Domestic Loans Inc


left side lines and 22


154 Y


Duke Power Co .


124


Electronic Service Center


Elmer Lumber Co Inc .


. back cover, right bottom lines, right bottom cards, 30 and 96 Ferguson Gear Co 142 Fiber Controls Corp right top lines and 143


Finger Brothers Brick Contractors left side lines and 24


Firestone Florist .


Franklin Hardware Co left top and right bottom lines and 121


left top cards and 80


Freeman's Ches Gastonia Appliance Co Inc


77


Friday Textile Machine & Supply Co . 149 Gardner's Warren Inc . right top cards and 37


Gaston Cemetery Park Corp left side lines and 36


----


38


Creasman Steel Roller Machine Co Inc


Double Cola Bottling Co


Drum's Esso Servicenter


64


First Federal Savings & Loan Association.


left side lines and 145


Barkley Machine Works right top cards and 28


Blu-Gas Company Inc left side lines and


158


right top cards and 52


Carolina Steel Roller Machine Inc left side lines and 154


Central Plumbing & Supply Co right side lines and 112


VI


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Gaston Electric Co Inc. right side lines and 60


Gaston Electric Contractors Inc


Gaston Furniture Co right top lines and 43


Gastonia Coca-Cola Bottling Co right side lines and 23


Gastonia Combed Yarn Division of Botany Cottons Inc


153 Gastonia Concrete Products Co 31


Gastonia Floor Sanding Co .


62


Gastonia Glidden Paint Center right top cards and 107


Gastonia Insulating Co right side lines and 84


Gastonia Insurance Agency Inc right top and left bottom lines and 86


Gastonia Lumber Co


. right bottom lines and 35


Gastonia Mill Supply Co The.


left and right top lines, A and 150


Gastonia Motor Parts Co Inc .


Gastonia Mutual Building & Loan Association


. left bottom lines, tabbed Insert at Building & Loan Associations in Classified Business Section and 27


Gastonia Roller, Flyer & Spindle Co Inc


131


Gastonia Sheet Metal Works right side lines, 118 and 123


Gastonia Textile Sheet Metal Works Inc left top cards and 147


Gastonia United Oil Co Inc right top lines and 66


Gazette Publishing Co Inc The back cover, right top cards and 102


Good Will Press Inc .


right top lines and 114


Gossett Machinery Works Inc


132


Griffin Supply Co Inc right bottom cards and 151


Guarantee Motor & Transmission Service Inc


Guthrie Machine Shop


Hagan Oil Co .


Hampton Battery & Electric Service


Harris & Moore Realty Co.


115


Hawkins Coal Company .


Hawkins Neal Contractor 109


Hawkins Neal Transfer Co Inc 109


Henderson Heating & Roofing Co Inc left side lines and 81


Henley Paper Co left bottom cards and 108


Hill Directory Co Inc


47


Holland Company .


2


Holland's Hardware & Builders Supply Co


26


Hoosier Scale Service 122


Hotel Southern . 82 83


Howe Distributing Co Inc


Howe's T Q Garage left top lines and 5


Ideal Industries Inc left bottom lines and 133


134


J & J Electric Service . left top lines and 55


Jackson Mortgage & Realty Co right top cards, 91 and 116 Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Co of Greensboro, N C .


left bottom lines and 87


Jenkins Metal Shops Inc left side lines and 148


Johnson H V & Son of Gastonia Inc. left bottom cards and 38


Johnston's Furniture Co . right top cards and 74 25


Kendrick Brick & Tile Co Inc


Kennedy's Rexall Drug Store . left bottom lines and 50 20


Kincaid Engineering Co Inc


Kincaid Insurance Agency left side lines and 88 119


Kings Mountain Sheet Metal Works Inc


Kistler Iron Works . . left side lines and 125


Kluttz Machine & Foundry Co left side lines and 143 12 Lang's Lester Garage


Lewis Florist .


64


Lewis W D Textile Machinery & Equipment 144


Lighting Center 59


Lineberger James R "Jim" 56


Little Furniture Co . .75


Long Spindle & Machinery Co left bottom lines and 135


Lytte Fred Buick Co Inc left top and side lines and 13


M & J Finance Corp 61


Marietta Realty Co left top cards and 115 Massey Hardware Co 152


back cover, right top and side lines and 4


97


left side lines and 66 61


109


Hoffman R L Builder left side lines and 40


Ideal Machine Shop


74


11


VII


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Matthews-Belk Co .


right top and bottom lines and 46


Maxwell Bros Inc . right side lines and 71 157


McCall Bros Pump & Well Co McLean & Son Funeral Home front cover, left top lines and 69 91 100


Metropolitan Life Insurance Co


Mill Motor Repair Inc


Moore & Stewart Inc


Morris Jewelry Co Inc


National Bank of Commerce


backbone, tabbed Insert at Street Guide, 18 and 120


New Way Laundry and Cleaners Inc


New York Life Insurance Co


left top lines and 93 91 136 41


Nolen Sand & Supply Co


right top cards, 32 and


Norris Supply & Machine Co


21, 83 and 156 101


North American Van Lines Inc


Parkdale Mills Inc


154 111


Parker-Gardner Co


Payne's Cities Service & Fuel Oil right side lines, 14 and 67


Penegar O G Company Inc . . ribbon book mark and 103


Penrod Mortgage Corporation .right top lines and 99


84


Petrey & McArver Inc


Petroleum Transportation Inc left side lines and 109


Petty Machine Co Inc . . left side lines and 144


Piedmont Machine Shops Inc


tabbed Insert at Name in Alphabetical Section and 137


Pope Television Service .


Prudential Insurance Co of America The


Queen Roland E


Queen's Texaco Service


left side lines and


13


Rainbow Paint Store .


.right side lines and 106


Ralph's Cities Service


14 72 14


Rankin Lake Service Station


16


Rawlings Co The . left top cards and


57


Rawlings-Todd Co Inc The


left side lines and


58 Rayfield & Stewart Inc. . Insert at Bradley Flyer & Repair Co in Alphabetical Section and 127 Ready Mixed Concrete Works . Insert at Contractors-Concrete in Classified Business Section and 42 Recreation Inc


117


Rhyne A Leonard Co


left side lines and 104


Rhyne M A & Sons


back cover, 44 and 45


Rich's Welding Plant


157 36


Roger's Transfer Inc


left side lines and 155


Roseberry's Wrecking Service


Roy B S & Son Company


Rudisill Brothers Co .


left bottom lines and


St Michael's Catholic Church


Schneider Leon Inc


Seth Lumber Co Inc left top cards and


Sherrill Manufacturing Co Inc left side lines, 145 and 146 7


Simmons Auto-Electric left side lines and


Smart Shop The right bottom cards and 37


9 51


Spencer Lumber Co Inc


left top and right bottom lines and


82 34


Spencer's Inc


front cover and 105


Standard Hardware Co Inc


left side lines and 78 145 C


Stovall's Foundry .


40


Styers & Jenkins Inc


Summerrow Furniture Co


left top lines and 75


Sweetland Restaurant . left top lines and 117 Textile Parts & Machine Co Inc 139


124


92 67


Rankin-Armstrong Co Inc .


Ratchford Geo M & Son .


Rock-Wood Building & Supply Inc


158 138 82 73 37 45 33


Rustin Furniture Co Inc


Smith Chevrolet Co Inc top stencil, right bottom lines, 8 and Smith's Cut Rate Drug Store. . Insert at Name in Alphabetical Section and Southern Hotel .


Stewart Paul Machine Co


left side lines and 3 92


Nolen Machine Co .


VIII


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Tommy Pontiac Inc


left side lines and 10


Van Sleen's .


92


Warren's Beauty Shop


19


Watson Insurance Agency Inc


89


Whisnant Howard Furniture Co


76


Whitesides & Co .


right top lines and 90


Wide World Travel Service Inc


right side lines and 155


Wilson C T .


44


Wilson Transfer Co Inc left bottom cards and 100


Wilson & Wilson Co . right side lines


Yarborough & Elrod Inc right top cards and 113


Yatesy Ann Beauty Shoppe 19


Young F A Machine Co . right bottom cards and 140


Young Lewis Insurance Agency


90


GASTONIA "THE CITY OF UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITY"


(Courtesy Gastonia Chamber of Commerce)


Statistical Review


Form of Government-City Manager-Council ( Plan D).


Population-1955 Special Federal Census Enumeration -- 34,389; Greater Gastonia 50,000. American-born, 99.3 per cent.


Area -- 9 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.


Assessed Valuation -- $ 61,500,000, with $1.50 per $100 tax rate.


Bonded Debt -- $5,150,000, gross.


Financial Data -- 2 banks, with total assets of $38,615,428. 2 building and loan associations, with total assets of $17,149,537.


Postal Receipts -- 1930, $65,841.25; 1940, $102,002.45; 1950, $320,640.35; 1957, $644,949.18.


Telephones in Service -- 16,200.


Churches -- 93 representing 13 denominations.


Industry -- Chief industry of city and surrounding territory is textile manu- facturing. Total of 188 manufacturing plants of all classifications, with annual payroll of $65,000,000. Principal manufactured products: Cotton yarn, textile machinery, sewing thread, tire fabric, motor-oil filters, chemical products, electrical goods, corrugated boxes, moulded plastics, power chain saws and miscellaneous products.


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


Aerial View of Gastonia's Principal Business District.


-


----


X


INTRODUCTION


Newspapers-1 daily, Gastonia Gazette; circulation, 20,500.


Radio Stations-WGNC, 250-watt, dial 1450; WLTC, 1,000-watt, dial 1370. Hotels -- 3, with total of 189 rooms.


Railroads -- 3: Main line of Southern, Carolina & Northwestern and Piedmont & Northern.


Highways-U. S. 29, 74 and 321; N. C. 7 and 274.


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


Amusements -- Largest auditorium in city seats, 1,654 persons. 4 motion- picture theatres, with total seating capacity of 3,200 persons. 2 golf courses.


Hospitals -- 4, with total of 443 beds.


Education -- 10 public schools, with 7,691 pupils enrolled, and 261 teachers. Greater Gastonia, 18 schools, 13,236 pupils and 427 teachers. Gastonia also is the home of Evans College of Commerce and Gaston Technical Institute. In the county are Sacred Heart College (Junior for Girls), Belmont Abbey College (Senior) and the North Carolina Vocational Textile School, all of which are at Belmont, N. C.


Public Libraries-1, with 68,861 volumes and 450, 000 annual circulation.


City Statistics-Total street mileage, paved 150. Sewers, 140; number of water meters 11,469; number light meters, 12,913. Capacity of water works, 12.5 million gallons daily; daily average pumpage, 6.5 million gallons; miles of mains, 175. Number of fire hydrants, 925. Fire department has 44 men, with 3 stations, 10 pieces of motor equipment, and 100 fire-alarm boses. Police de- partment has 68 men, with 1 station and 12 pieces of motor equipment. Value of municipal property is $10,626,819.


History and Location


Gastonia is the trade center of an area first settled in the year 1735 by Scotch-Irish and Germans who had lived for a time in Pennsylvania. These early pioneers were attracted here by the mild climate, numerous springs and streams, and fertile soil. Their fair attitude and high standards of living won the friendship of the powerful Catawba Indians, who often fought beside them against unfriendly Indian tribes and also in their Revolutionary War struggles. It is not surprising that the Battle of Kings Mountain, turning point of the Revolution, was fought 20 miles from Gastonia by these same pioneers, determined to keep their religious and political freedom.


Twenty miles west of Gastonia a National Military Park, the turning point of the Revolutionary War. Thousands of tourists visit this historic spot every year. This is a picture of the battleground monument.


-


XI


INTRODUCTION


The Changing Scene


Seventy-five years ago this was an undeveloped, backwoods community with nothing to indicate that it was destined to become a giant industrial center. In 1848 some local citizens, recognizing the county's rich natural resources, built the Mountain Island and Woodlawn cotton mills. But industrial development did not begin in earnest until a railroad was built through Gaston County in 1872, bringing the manufacturers into touch with available raw material supplies and the large consuming markets of the nation.


Grow


TEMPLE


NATIONAL BANK COMMERCE


Gastonia's Main Street and shopping district


One of the Largest Tire Fabric Plants Under One Roof in the World, Located in Gastonia.


XL


INTRODUCTION


Industrial Supremacy


Today Gastonia's 48 textile plants, with 600,000 spindles, have an average annual payroll of approximately $50 million. Gaston County has 126 textile plants, besides numerous other smaller and allied manufacturing interests. The native-born labor is dependable and unusually intelligent, and there is no discernible friction in industrial relationships between employer and employee. Industrial products include: Cotton yarns, tire fabric, textile machinery, sewing thread, crocheting and knitting yarns, labels, gears, weavers' knotters, roller covering, dress goods, sheeting, leather belting, silk, rayon, mattresses, furn- iture, textile supplies, hosiery, shoe laces, army uniform cloth, motor-oil fil- ters, carbon manifolds, novelties, industrial paper products, electrical goods, machinery, corrugated boxes, moulded plastics, power chain saws and many other articles.




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