Hill's Wilson (Wilson County, N.C.) City Directory [1960], Part 1

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1960
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 984


USA > North Carolina > Wilson County > Wilson > Hill's Wilson (Wilson County, N.C.) City Directory [1960] > 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.


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83


ALMSTRONG TURES


406 Stantonsburg St.


WHITE'S TIRE SERVICE A COMPLETE LINE OF ARMSTRONG TIRES Tire Recapping From Sizes 520x13 to 1400x24 45 MOULDS TO SERVE YOU


Tel. 24 3-4167


ARMSTRONG TIRES


First Union National Bank


OF NORTH CAROLINA


Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Member Federal Reserve System


CAPABLE AND COURTEOUS SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY


BRANCH BANKING & TRUST COMPANY "The Safe Executor" FOUR CONVENIENT OFFICES IN WILSON TO SERVE YOU RESOURCES OVER ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation


ATLANTIC SAVINGS LOAN ASSOCIATION incorporoted 1907 - Over Fifty-Four Years of Continuous Service INSURED SAVINGS ACCOUNTS DIRECT REDUCTION LOANS Dial 23. 7-1175 ICE CORPON 119 S. Goldsboro St.


&


SAVINGS


YOUE LAVINOI


INSURED


Geo. T. Stronach, Sec .- Treas.


Thomas yelverton Go BETTER . FURNITURE


Funeral Home - Ambulance Service Dial 24 3-3121


TIRE SERVICE, Inc. 740 S. Goldsboro Street


Tel. 24 3-5932


COMPLETE TIRE RECAPPING SERVICE The Home of Quality Recapping


!


OIL CO.


Dial 23 7-0126 FUEL OIL


GASOLINE


Burning Oil Puritan


rown


inc.


Anderson


1


CADILLAC


PHONE 23 7-1111 PONTIAC SANDIFER-BATTS PONTIAC CO. 115 S. LODGE ST.


Sales and Service, Wilson, N. C.


A


THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA


LUX


LIBERTAS


N & CO.


of - Floor Plan Carpets Zenith Television JAL FURNITURE LINES


THE COLLECTION OF NORTH CAROLINIANA PRESENTED BY Raleigh Chamber of Commerce


C971.98 W74h 1960


CAROLINA'S FINEST STORE AIR CONDITIONED FOR YOUR COMFORT


FOR UNUSUAL GIFTS SEE OUR GIFT SHOP First Floor


FOR EXPERT ADVICE CONSULT OUR INTERIOR DECORATOR


135-37 S. Goldsboro St. Tel. 24 3-3188


HILL DIRECTORY CO.'S


--


B


Hotel Cherry


AN ALSONETT HOTEL SOCIAL AND BUSINESS CENTER


This book must not be taken from the Library building.


200 ROOMS · AIR CONDITI(


VISIT O OPEN FROM 6 SUNDAY


SUNDAY BUF


In o Hurry? Prefer Informal Right!" Here you'll enjay fin est prices. It's on air condition


PRIVATE DII


Mrs. G


Tel. 24 3-2144


HOME BUILDERS SUPPLY CO., Inc. Rough


WILSON CITY DIRECTORY


C


HUNT FUNERAL HOME


"Homes of Friendly Service"


FUNERAL DIRECTORS AMBULANCE SERVICE


WILSON, N. C. Tel. 24 3-3148


STANTONSBURG, N. C.


Tel. 23 8-5381


SUPERIOR-CADILLAC AMBULANCE


24-HOUR AMBULANCE SERVICE OXYGEN EQUIPPED


SPONSOR Wilson County Mutual Burial Association 117b N. TARBORO ST.


HILL DIRECTORY CO.'S


HILL'S WILSON (WILSON COUNTY, N. C.) CITY DIRECTORY 1960


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, a Numerical Telephone Directory and Much Information of a Miscellaneous Character; also the


YELLOW PAGES With a Special ADVERTISING SECTION and a Complete CLASSIFIED LIST


FOR CONTENTS SEE INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INDEX


PRO


PUBLICO


FAME


ATTy ATy


1898


$35.00


DIRECTOR


HILL DIRECTORY CO., Inc., Publishers 2910 W. Clay St., P. O. Box 767, Richmond 6, Va.


DIRECTORY LIBRARY FOR FREE USE OF PUBLIC AT WILSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, 220 BROAD


Member Association of North American Directory Publishers


Copyright, 1960, by Hill Directory Co., Inc.


SIZŁ - LF


HOME BUILDERS SUPPLY CO., Inc. 1717 ...


PRICE


SSOCIATION DE


Excerpt from Section 104, Title 17 United States Code Annotated


WILLFUL INFRINGEMENT FOR PROFIT-Any per- son who willfully and for profit shall infringe any copyright secured by this title, or who shall knowingly and willfully 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 $100 nor more than $1,000, or both, in the discretion of the court. 1


ASSOCIATION OF


PKO


PUBLICO


NORTH AMERICAN


1898


DIRO DIREUDIREO


DIRECTORY


2. 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 correct- ness 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 South- eastern Directories (publishers of the Wilson City Directory since 1908), present to subscribers and the general public, this, the 1960 edition of the Wilson City Directory.


Confidence in the growth of Wilson's industry, popula- tion and wealth, and in the advancement of its civic and social activities, will be maintained as sections of this Direc- tory are consulted, for the Directory is a mirror truly re- flecting Wilson 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 cooperation 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 Wil- son Directory will fulfill its mission as a source of authentic information pertaining to the city.


Four Major Departments


The four major departments are arranged in the fol- lowing order :-


I. THE YELLOW PAGES constitute the first major de- partment of the Directory. This embraces a complete list of names and addresses of the business and professional concerns of the city, arranged in alphabetical order under appropriate headings-a catalog of all the activities of the city. Preceding this catalog, likewise grouped under appro- priate 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 Wilson, the necessity of having this kind of information up-to-date and always immediately available, is obvious. The Directory is the com- mon intermediary between buyer and seller, and plays an important role in the daily activities of the commercial, industrial and professional world.


II. 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 Wilson, and the name, official personnel, nature and address of each firm and corporation in the city.


III. THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUD- ING STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE is the third major de- partment, printed on green paper. In this section the num- bered streets are arranged in numerical order followed by the named streets in alphabetical order; the numbers of


HOME BUILDERS SUPPLY CO., Inc. ....


795887


8


INTRODUCTION


the residences and business concerns are arranged in nu- mercial order, under the name of each street, and the names of the householders and concerns are placed oppo- site 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 tennant-owned homes and the listing of telephone num- bers.


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


Municipal Publicity


The Directory reflects the achievements and ambi- tions of the community, depicting in unbiased terms what it has to offer as a place of residence, as a 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 public reference, and serve as perpetual and reliable advertisements of Wil- son and vicinity.


The Wilson Out-of-Town City Directory Library


Through the courtesy of the publishers of the Wilson City Directory, a Directory Library is maintained in the offices of the Wilson Chamber of Commerce, for free refer- ence by the general public. This is one of more than 700 Directory Libraries installed and maintained in the chief cities of the U. S. and Canada through the courtesy of members of the Association of North American Directory Publishers, under whose supervision the system is operated.


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


HILL DIRECTORY CO., INC. Publishers.


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


PAGE NUMBERS LISTED BELOW REFER TO THE YELLOW PAGES


Page


Alford's E V Esso Servicenter .... left bottom lines and 10 Anderson, Deans & Woodard Inc . front cover, left top lines and 74


Atlantic Savings & Loan Association


front cover, left side lines and 113


B & B Esso Service.


. right center lines and 115


Bailey Radio & TV Service. .right center lines and 121


Baker Henry Heating Co left bottom lines and 31 Baltlegar James W .left side lines


Barbee Bros Esso.


right center lines and


4


Barker's Department Store 42


Barnes George H Tin Shop .left center lines, 110 and 117


Barnes J Alton.


left side lines and


34


Barnes Truck Line Inc ... right center lines, X and 126


Barrett's Printing House. left center lines and 101


Batchelor's David Aluminum Products Co


.right center lines and 15


Batts Johnnie J Electrical Contractor left side lines and 35 Beland R F Plumbing & Heating Contractor . back cover, right top lines, 72 and 97


Beland's Auto Supply


left center lines and


10


Berger-Jones Inc. .left top lines and 3


Bill's Shoe Repairs.


left bottom lines and 119


36


Bissette C W Paint & Wallpaper Co .. . left side lines and Bissette's Drug Stores. left bottom lines and


44


Blue Cross-Blue Shield.


. back cover and


75


Bob's TV Service Inc. right side lines and 121


Boykin Vernon D .. left center lines and 39 Boykin's Upholstering Service. right center lines and 127 Branch Banking & Trust Co


. front cover, left top lines, 18 and 19


Braswell Rug Cleaning Service .. .. left bottom lines and 111


Brewington's Grocery 71


Bridgers Bros.


. left side lines and 99


Bridgeis Electric Co. left bottom lines and 46 Bridgers Paint & Wallpaper Co ... right center lines and 96 Brown Oil Co Inc ..... front cover, left bottom lines and 93


Bruce's Hot Dog Stand. .right bottom lines and 112 Butler Raymond G .. .left side lines and 77


5


Cherry Hotel. right top lines and Churchwell's Inc left top lines and 81


B


Cliff's Drive In. right bottom lines and 109 6 Corbett Motor Co Inc. left top lines and


49


Cornett's Groceries. left side lines and


69


Darden Memorial Funeral Home ..


.right side lines and


56


Deans Robt E Plumbing, Heating & Gas Contractor


right center lines and Y


83


Carolina Laundry & Cleaners Inc ... right top lines and Central Shell Service .. left bottom lines and Chappell's Letter Service. right bottom lines and


84


Corbett's Flooring Co. right side lines and


HOME BUILDERS SUPPLY CO., Inc. .....


10


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Dew & Baldree right center lines, 73 and 111


Dixie Letter Service .right center lines and 85


Dixie Supply Co. . right side lines and 27


Down Town Floral Shop. left center lines and 50


Eatmon Henry T Contractor left center lines and 31


Edward Funeral Home


right side lines and


60


Electric Motor Service. right bottom lines and


44


Ellis J B & Co. .. right side lines, 49 and 122


Etheridge Plumbing Co. . left side lines and 99


Eva's Hair Styling Salon left center lines and 21


Farmer's New & Used Cars. left center lines and 11


First Union National Bank of North Carolina


front cover, right top lines and


20


Five Points Nursery & Floral Co


Gay Roofing Co


Insert at Name in Alphabetical Section and 38


Goff Luther H Electrical Contractor 46


Golden Weed Restaurant. right bottom lines and 107


Goodyear Service Store. right side lines and 123


Gray Concrete Pipe Co Inc


. back cover, left top lines and 30


Hackney John Agency Inc. left side lines and 77


Hackney Recappers Inc. .left side lines and 126


Hackney Seat Cover Center left side lines and 7 Hagans Sinclair Service. left side lines and 115


60 Hamilton Funeral Home.


Hammond's Used Cars & Garage Service


left side lines and 11


Haye's Grill.


108


Hayes Robert A.


.left top lines and 78 2


Herring L J Implement Co.


44


High B J Insulation Co


. left top lines and


15


High's Inc. right top lines and


14


Hill Directory Co Inc


43


Hillside Florist Inc. . bottom stencil and 51


127


Home Builders Supply Co Inc


. front stencil, right side lines, 23 and


Homelite Power Saws . left side lines and 114


Hotel Cherry. right top lines and B


Hospital Saving Assn of N C. back cover and 75 57


Hunt Funeral Home. . back cover, right top lines, C and


Ideal Cleaners .left side lines and


28


Ideal Plumbing Co left center lines and 100


28


Independent Ice & Fuel Co .. .right side lines, 22 and


73 65 82


Jewell Box Inc The


Jim's Camera Center right center lines and


68


Johnson Furniture Co Inc. . left center lines and 64


Jordan Construction Co. left bottom lines and 32 58 78


Linstone Inc .. right bottom lines and


24


Little Flower Shop.


left bottom lines and right side lines and


52 53


Lou-Ann Florist.


69


M & W Grocery.


Malpass Troy S & Son. right center lines and 32


Maude's Flower Shop. .left center lines and 52


87


Ideal Shoe Service. .left side lines and


left side lines and


Jefferson Appliance Co


Joyner's Funeral Home .... back cover, left top lines and Lamm Cecil B & Co


. right side lines and


91


Herring's Drug Store.


Holbrook's Upholstery Shop.


11


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page Mello Ice Cream Co Monticello Cafe. 108 41


Moore's Auto Body & Paint Shop


. right bottom lines and 12


Mooring & Rogers Esso Servicenter left bottom lines and 12


108


Murphy's Drive Inn


Newton Mutual Insurance Agency


Oettingers The Dependable Store left bottom lines and 80


42


Peggy's Hair Styling Salon .left side lines and 21


Perry R A Inc. left top lines and 79


Pittman Bros Texaco Service.


.right bottom lines and


13


Purity Bakery .


.right top lines and


16


Quinn R E & Co. .A and 61


Red Bird Cab Inc. .right bottom lines and 120


Sandifer-Batts Pontiac Co front lip margin and 8


Sanitary Fruit Market. 53


Sealtest Foods Southern Division ... right top lines and 40


Shackelford Neighborhood Grocery 71


Shackelford Paving Co .. 36


Skinner Neon Sign Service. 120


Southern Testing & Research Laboratories.


27


Stancil A A A Refrigeration Sales & Service


.right side lines and 106


Standard Finance Co.


86


Stephen's Hardware Co Inc.


71


Stephenson Millwork Co. left bottom lines and 25


Stone J R Lumber Co. .right side lines and 88


Strickland H H. . .


33


Strickland J W Tin Shop


. . top stencil, right bottom and right side lines and 118 Strickland James W


.right bottom and right side lines and 33 Suburban Rulane Gas Service of N C Inc .. back cover, right top lines and 66


70


Swift & Co. 89


Taylor Oldsmobile Co .... back cover, left side lines and 9


103


Thomas-Yelverton Co. . front cover, right side lines and


62


Thomas-Yelverton Funeral Home. 59


Tire Service Inc. . front cover and 124


Tobacco City Motors Inc. right top lines and 13


116


Townsend R E & Co. . back lip margin and


76


Tyson C J "Pete"


80


Vanderpool R W Contractor left center lines and


67


Vann's Electrical Appliances.


48 41


Wayne Dairy Inc. right center lines and


Welfare R C Oil Co. .right bottom lines, 55 and 95


70 West Nash Open Air Market Inc. . left center lines and White's Tire Service. . front cover and 125 Whitehead Insurance Agency Inc. . left top lines, 80 and 105 Whitley's Electric Service .right side lines and 45 Wiggins W M & Co Inc. . right side lines and 98 Williams Lumber Co .... backbone, right side lines and 26 Wilson Board of Realtors .. 104 Wilson Chamber of Commerce The. Z


HOME BUILDERS SUPPLY CO., Inc. 2111+21


1


Super Duper Market No 1.


Taylor's Radio & TV Service.


Tommy's Gulf Service.


12


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


Page


Wilson Concrete Co


.right bottom and right side lines 29


Wilson Daily Times The . left side lines and 90


Wilson Electric Co Inc. right side lines and 47


Wilson Feed Mill Inc.


48


Wilson Home & Loan Assn The left side lines and


22


Wilson Insurance & Realty Co Inc. .79 and 105


Wilson Oil Corp. right bottom lines and 95


Wilson Petroleum . back cover, 54 and 94


Wilson Printing Co .. right side lines and 102


Wilson Radiator Works left side lines and 102


Winbon's Gulf Service right side lines and 116


Winstead Henry Plumbing Co. .left side lines and 37


Woodall L C. right bottom lines and 63


Woodard C Co Inc. .right side lines and 92


-


WILSON


"America's Largest Bright Leaf Tobacco Market; The City of Beautiful Trees"


(Courtesy Wilson Chamber of Commerce)


Statistical Review


Form of Government-City manager-aldermanic.


Population-1960 Census 28,578. American-born 99 per cent. Predominating nationalities of foreign-born residents: Greek, Syrian and Albanian.


Area-6.7 square miles.


Altitude-145 feet above sea level.


Climate-Average annual temperature 60.8 degrees F .; average rainfall 48.1 inches.


Parks-7 public.


Assessed Valuation-$49,866,942 (1959).


Bonded Debt-$5,386,000 (1959).


Financial Data-two banks with resources of nearly $300,000,000.


Postal Receipts-$300,150.44 (1959).


Churches-21 representing 12 denominations.


Industry-Principal manufactured products: textiles, garments, bus and truck bodies, agricultural implements, wagons, fertilizer, vegetable oil, concrete pipe and blocks, and food products. Ninety manufacturing plants in the city and county provide year round work for 3,500 employees, and seasonal employment, principally in tobacco redrying plants, for 2,300 additional workers.


Trade Area-Retail area has radius of 20 miles and population of 120,000; wholesale area, radius of 100 miles, and population of 1,800,000.


Newspapers-One daily (except Sunday)-Wilson Daily Times.


Radio Stations-WGTM (5,000 watts) and WVOT (1,000 watts).


Hotels and Motels-One hotel with 158 rooms; eleven motels with total of 282 rooms.


Railroads-Two, Atlantic Coast Line and Norfolk & Southern.


Motor Freight Lines-Five.


Highways-U. S. 117, 264, 301; N. C. State 42 and 58.


Amusements-Largest auditorium in city (junior high school) seats 1,400 persons. Five motion picture theatres, with total seating capacity of 3,175 persons, 2 drive-in thea- tres; 1 18 hole golf course, 3 swimming pools, 2 skating rinks.


Hospitals-3, with total of 186 beds.


Education-Atlantic Christian College fully accredited; 10 public schools, including 2 senior high schools and 1 junior high; 3 parochial schools.


.... ...... HOME BUILDERS SUPPLY CO., Inc. .......


14


INTRODUCTION


City Statistics-Total street mileage, 96 with 65.5 miles payed. Miles of gas mains, 25; sewers, 76.2. Number of water meters, 8,133; light meters, 9,536; gas meters, 2,875. Capa- city of water works (municipal), 6,000,000 gallons; daily average pumpage, 3,000,000 gallons; miles of mains, 47; value of electric, gas and water property, $7,669,639. Fire department has 38 men, with 3 stations and 7 pieces of motor equipment. Police department has 40 men with 1 sta- tion and 8 pieces of motor equipment.


General Summary


Wilson was incorporated January 29, 1849, and is known as "America's Largest Bright-Leaf Tobacco Market," and "The City of Beautiful Trees."


The first tobacco warehouse was constructed in Wilson in 1890. It proved very successful as a convenience to the farmers, as well as a profitable business enterprise for the owners. From the beginning, Wilson proved popular as a tobacco market. That this popularity has increased is evi- denced by Wilson's phenomenal growth in this respect, the city having gained distinction of being America's largest bright leaf market. Although a tobacco center, Wilson has other industries that contribute materially to its payroll and welfare.


Wilson is the county seat of Wilson County, and the largest of ten townships. Wilson County was named for the Hon. Louis D. Wilson, long a member of the Senate from Edgecombe County and a volunteer in the Mexican War. By the U. S. Census of 1960, the county population was 57,531.


.... ..


000 000 000


Aerial View of Business Area of Wilson


15


INTRODUCTION


Industries


To trace the background of Wilson's industrial pro- gram, special reference should be made to its first industry, established in 1854 under the name of Hackney Bros., engaged in the manufacture of buggies. Later there came a rapid change in vehicles, with automobiles replacing buggies. In keeping with this development, Hackney Bros. discontinued the manufacture of buggies in 1919, reorgan- izing under the name of Hackney Bros. Body Co. Since that time this company has engaged in manufacturing the latest types of commercial bus bodies. Industrial growth over the years has contributed greatly to the economy of the area. There are now 90 manufacturing plants in Wilson and Wilson County employing some 3,500 persons. Principal products are food, textiles, apparel, lumber and wood, fertilizers, concrete, truck and bus bodies, transpor- tation equipment, agricultural implements, livestock feeds, and electronic equipment.


Wilson's, America's Largest Tobacco Market


More than anything else, Tobacco has given Wilson an international reputation for it is "America's Largest Bright- Leaf Tobacco Market." ·


The Wilson tobacco market has 19 auction warehouses, with a combined floor space of 1,799,135 square feet. These huge one-story buildings are lighted with numerous sky- lights, for quality of tobacco is judged by color as well as by texture and aroma. When the farmer brings his tobacco to the warehouse of his choice, it is placed on shallow baskets with a maximum of 300 pounds to the basket. These baskets are then placed in long rows on the warehouse floor. The


Scene in a Tobacco Warehouse, in America's Largest Bright Leaf Tobacco Market


HOME BUILDERS SUPPLY CO.,


16


INTRODUCTION


auctioneer and the buyers then walk along the rows and each basket is sold individually at the rate of 400 baskets per hour, or a sale every nine seconds. During the season, which runs from mid-August until about Thanksgiving, sales are conducted simultaneously at five warehouses, with at least nine buyers taking part in each of the sales. During the 1959 season, the Wilson market sold 69,006,614 pounds for $40,787,309.33, an average of $59.11 per hundred pounds.


Wilson has eight tobacco redrying plants and three plants which pack and ship the green tobacco. These re- drying plants are capable of processing 2,500,000 pounds daily and handle tobacco from markets throughout the brightleaf belt which extends from Florida to Virginia. In these plants, the tobacco passes through the redrying machines that remove all of the moisture and then through a steam bath which raises the moisture content to approxi- mately 11 per cent. It is then packed in large hogsheads holding an average of 950 pounds each. After this process- ing, tobacco will keep indefinitely. Normally it remains in storage for at least two years before being used in cigarettes.


Agriculture


Wilson is primarily an agricultural county, with about 80 per cent of its income derived directly or indirectly from agriculture. The principal crops are tobacco, cotton, and corn. Livestock production is rapidly increasing in impor- tance. In 1959, Swift & Company opened a major meat packing plant, and will process 175,000 hogs, 35,000 cattle and 35,000 calves per year.


In 1950, Cargill, Inc., world's largest grain merchants, established an elevator in Wilson. It now has a storage capacity of 600,000 bushels. In November, 1954, Ralston


٣- بی هویم


Wilson's Municipal Building


17


INTRODUCTION


Purina Co. established a modern mill capable of producing 100,000 tons of livestock feeds. Nutrena Mills, Inc. will com- plete a feed mill in 1961.


Location


Wilson is located on the main line of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and the Norfolk Southern Railroad. It is served by U. S. Highway 301, the principal tourist route between eastern states and Florida. Other highways serv- ing Wilson include U. S. 264, a major east-west route, and U. S. 117, between Wilson and Wilmington. A network of paved highways connects Wilson with all sections of the country. Due to its geographic location and its accessibility Wilson is steadily increasing in importance as a distribu- tion center.


Power, Lights, Gas and Water


The electric, gas and water plants and distribution systems in Wilson are municipally owned. The City of Wilson owns approximately 400 miles of electric distri- bution lines outside the corporate limits. The city electric department serves more than 5,000 rural customers and furnishes electricity wholesale to six other communities. The city utilities, including land, buildings and distribu- tion systems, are valued at $7,669,639. The electric plant has the latest equipment, with a generator capacity of 27,500 k.w. In addition, the city has a 14,000 k.w. inter- connection with Carolina Power and Light Company, insur- ing an uninterrupted supply of power. Wilson's water supply is taken from a reservoir supplied by Contentnea Creek. The 236 square mile watershed has proved adequate to meet the city's needs even in times of severe drought. A new reservoir is now under construction to conserve addi-




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.