Hill's Leaksville, Spray and Draper (Rockingham County, N.C.) City Directory [1962], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1962
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 636

USA > North Carolina > Rockingham County > Draper > Hill's Leaksville, Spray and Draper (Rockingham County, N.C.) City Directory [1962] > Part 2
USA > North Carolina > Rockingham County > Leaksville > Hill's Leaksville, Spray and Draper (Rockingham County, N.C.) City Directory [1962] > Part 2
USA > North Carolina > Rockingham County > Spray > Hill's Leaksville, Spray and Draper (Rockingham County, N.C.) City Directory [1962] > Part 2

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 (link on the Part 1 page).

Home Savings & Loan Association

INTRODUCTION

Leaksville Bank & Trust Co.

Around 1818 a great building boom had started here, a large bank was established, a branch of the state bank, and lots were sold for almost fabulous prices. In a few years, the boom collapsed and a more substantial growth began.

In 1819 an academy was opened at Leaksville and later a school for girls was conducted. In later years, Nathan Henry, a son of America's great orator and patriot Patrick Henry, conducted the Academy for males. In 1846 Patrick Henry III was head of the school. In that year he closed the school, formed a company, and as captain of it, went to Mexico with a North Carolina regiment. Other noted teach- ers conducted the school here, the best known being Pro- fessor N. S. Smith and B. W. Ray.

In 1813, James Barnett had erected the largest grist mill in this part of North Carolina, at a point on Smith River, where is now the bank building at Spray. He also operated a saw mill, oil mill and cotton gin and a large store there. He sold his interest, including a large tract of land and valuable water power to John M. Morehead, and in 1839, Morehead built the Leaksville Cotton Mill. In later years Morehead became Governor of North Carolina and one of the South's most distinguished statesmen and outstanding financiers. After his death his family continued to expand the textile interest here, establishing the Leaksville Woolen Mill in the early seventies and conducting the largest mer- cantile establishment in the county.

At Spray in 1890, Major J. Turner Morehead promoted the Wilson Aluminum Company, that never made any alu- minum instead, by accident, discovered how to produce carbide, which, when put in water, generated acetylene gas. From this discovery, the American Carbide Company origi- nated and became one of the largest and greatest corpora- tions in the world.

In 1892 under the leadership of the late B. Frank Me- bane, a marvelous expansion began, and for several years a new cotton and woolen mill was promoted each year, all the available water power of the Smith River being utilized, and steam plants being required.

MEMCER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORP.

ASSOCIATION DRAPER MERCHANTS

INTRODUCTION

In the meantime in old Leaksville, tobacco manufactur- ing was the chief, or only industry, as it had been for almost a century. Auction warehouses had opened here soon after the war between the states, and the market held up well in competition with other points. As late as 1893, eight fac- tories were making chewing tobacco here, and some of their brands were famous throughout the country.

The Danville and New River Railroad Company built its lines to Leaksville by 1884. It is now the Carolina and North- western, a branch of the Southern System. This ended all water transportation, as well as the hauling of freight from Reidsville and Danville by wagons with team horses, mules and oxen.

By 1906, Draper had grown to be a considerable village. The German-American Co., had built a large textile mill there in the heart of what has always been called "The Mea- dows." In 1912 this plant and much land was acquired by Marshall Field and Company of Chicago. The blanket mill was enlarged and in 1915 an additional plant was built for the manufacture of sheeting. Seven mills of Spray also were acquired by Marshall Field and Co. These mills were expand- ed and improved and two new plants, the Bedspread Mill and the Karastan rug mill, were built at Leaksville.

Marshall Field and Co. operated this chain of mills until Oct. 1, 1953, when the mills were purchased by a newly- formed corporation, Fieldcrest Mills, Incorporated. The new company has continued to invest heavily in modernization, from early 1954 to the end of 1958. Today, the Fieldcrest Mills together with the Leaksville Woolen Mill, The More- head Mill, and the Spray Cotton Mills form the economic backbone of the Tri-Cities, employing more than 5,000 of its citizens.

In addition to textile manufacturing numerous other industries have been established in recent years. Among these are Rockingham Block & Ready Mix Company, a sub-

3142

Fielderest Mills Inc. General Office

INTRODUCTION

Fielderest Store

sidiary of Boren Clay Products; Home Novelty Company, a furniture plant; Webster Brick Company, Southern Light- weight Aggregate Corporation (Solite) and Litho-Web, In- corporated, a continuous forms industry.

The Tri-Cities are served by the Duke Power Company which constructed here its Dan River Steam Station to fur- nish an ample supply of electricity to the northern part of the growing Piedmont Carolinas. The first 70,000 KW gener- ating unit went on the line in September, 1949, and was fol- lowed closely by the second 70,000 KW unit in March, 1950. A third unit of 150,000 KW was added in August, 1955.

Telephone service for the Tri-Cities is provided by the Central Telephone Company with 5,540 telephone installa- tions. The modern dial system has a capacity for a number of additional phones as needed in the future.

The Tri-Cities have 64 churches representing all major denominations. Many fine school buildings provide for the educational needs of the communities. The county library at Leaksville and a branch library at Draper contains thou- sands of volumes. Two Y.M.C.A.'s, Boys Club and boy and girl scout organizations provide wholesome programs bene- fitting youth. A total of 64 civic clubs, affiliated with Na- tional organizations provide opportunities for self-develop- ment and community improvement.

CKANSER OF COMMEIKE

Tri-City Chamber of Commerce Building

ASSOCIATION DRAPER MERCHANTS

MEMCER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORP.

INTRODUCTION

Leaksville, Spray and Draper are located in a beautiful section. The towns nestle along the rivers surrounded by a rich farming section with the towering Blue Ridge Moun- tains in the distance. The Tri-Cities are truly a "Land of Eden," not only, as Byrd wrote, "A place where everything grows plentiful to supply the wants of Man" but also where beautiful textile products are manufactured in enormous quantities to help supply the wants of man all over the globe!

CLASSIFIED BUYERS' GUIDE

OF THE CITIES OF

Leaksville, Spray and Draper (NORTH CAROLINA)

1962

ASSOCIATION OF

BLICO

NORTH AMERICAN

1898

Hill's Leaksville, Spray and Draper (Rockingham County, N.C.) City Directory [1962], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company. Publication date: 1962 Publisher: Hill Directory Co. Number of Pages: 636

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1962
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 636