Hill's Plymouth (Washington County, N.C.) City Directory [1962], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1962
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 246

USA > North Carolina > Washington County > Plymouth > Hill's Plymouth (Washington 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).

The Plymouth Country Club has a nine-hole golf course, swimming pool, and club honse for members and guests. It offers much social and recreational activity. Accommodations are available year-round.

INTRODUCTION

The church shown here, one example of the serene and inspiring Christian attitudes prevailing in this community. This church was once used as a stable for Federal mounts.

nine-hole golf course, swimming pool, club houses for mem- bers and guests and is the center of much social and recrea- tional activity locally.

An Annual Water Festival is held on the Roanoke each year, usually in June. This event is sponsored by the Plym- outh Junior Chamber of Commerce with the assistance of other civic groups. Among the features are stunt water ski- ing, floats and boat races. Another annual event in Plymouth is the completely religious Christmas Pageant held in early December. The pageant is held out doors and carries the theme of putting Christ Back Into Christmas.

The new 34-room Washington County Hospital, plus a roomy bassinet ward, is located in the town of Plymouth. The White practitioners include five medical doctors, resident surgeon, one dentist, an optician and a chiropractor. Ply- mouth is fortunate to have a medical clinic in the heart of

INTRODUCTION

town which is very well and efficiently staffed with resident physicians and nurses. The Clinic is equipped for major and minor surgery. Physicians are constantly in contact with the clinic through two-way radio.

Year around accommodations are furnished by the Plymouth Country Club, the Plymouth Hotel and Horner's Motel. Other rooms are available in private homes through- out the vicinity.

The Roanoke Beacon, published weekly in Plymouth, carries local and world news and events. Out of town daily papers are also distributed county-wide. Including New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Eastern Virginia publica- tions. Radio Station WPNC began operations in 1959 and serves northeastern North Carolina with high Fidelity A.M. Radio operating 1000 watts at 1470 kilocycles. It is very well and modernly equipped and operated by a most effi- cient and capable staff. It has already proved to be a tre- mendous asset not only to Plymouth but to the surrounding areas as well.

In and near Plymouth are enough forms of recreation to suit the desires of everyone. There is a privately-owned swimming pool for White Children in the eastern part of town, open at no cost; the many facilities of the Country Club and the beaches on the Albemarle Sound offer bath- ing, boating, water-skiing, and fishing. There is a motion picture theater and a lighted baseball park, home of the local semi-pro team. Dancing and Dinners are periodically sponsored by local civic groups.

Fishing and hunting are also very popular locally. Phelps Lake, stocked with bass, and Pettigrew State Park, are a short thirty minute drive to the southeast from Plymouth. There are boats for rent at both Phelps and Pungo Lakes, and the bass fishing is unusually good. Quail, geese, duck, and small game, especially squirrels, are plentiful in this area. Bear and deer hunting is extremely good. The many famous Atlantic beaches on the Southeastern seaboard are also with- in short driving distances of this section.

Somerset House, located on the site of Pettigrew State Park, on the northern shore of Phelps Lake, is another tour- ist attraction and one of the chief points of interest in Washington County. Once the center of a 25,000 acre planta- tion, one of the largest in the state, the home is one of the few plantation mansions remaining in good condition. Near- by are slave quarters and a curious four-story barn on the edge of a canal which leads from the lake to Scuppernong River. Also nearby stands old Pettigrew Mansion, built in 1830.

Industry-In recent years, industrial growth has in- creased to such an extent in and around Plymouth that man- ufacturing has surpassed even agriculture in employment. Lumber for wood pulp and other wood products is the pre- dominate type of industry in the county, with the resulting largest employment in the huge N. C. Pulp Plant, which produces approximately 1400 tons of paperboard daily for corrugated shipping containers and milk containers. The Georgia Pacific Company finds a ready market for its fine plywoods in the ever growing furniture industries of the Carolinas and Virginia. The True Temper Corporation uti- lizes the forestry products of the area in the manufacture of

INTRODUCTION

North Carolina Pulp Plant at Plymouth, N. C. manufactures approximately 1,400 tons of paperboard daily for corrugated shipping containers and milk containers. Begun in 1937, it now employs over 1,200 persons.

handles for tools and equipment. American Cyanamid's plant, producing liquid alum, markets its products locally. The D. J. Brinkley Lumber Company and several smaller firms supply the lumber needs for construction throughout a wide area. The Smith Brothers Chemical Company, manu- facturers of cleaning fluids and allied chemical products for the dry cleaning industry, markets its products nationally. The Farmers Cotton and Peanut Mill processes locally grown peanuts for national markets. The Richard West Milling Company is engaged in processing livestock and poultry feeds. In addition, the East Carolina Supply Com- pany (Hardware and associated items) and the Seaboard Gas and Oxygen Company fulfill a definite need for this area.

The people of Plymouth are anxious to expand the coun- ty's industrial base and to diversify its economy. Existing in- dustry would also welcome non-competitive industrial growth and the county can assure an adequate labor supply for additional industries. It is believed that the farmer group that has entered the labor market to supplement its present income, would be enlarged considerably if additional indus- trial opportunities should arise. Some of this area's chief assets are, in respect to industrial development (1) an abun- dance of available labor; (2) relatively untapped water re- sources, both ground and surface; (3) excellent transporta- tional facilities; (4) a high level of recreational and educa- tional facilities; (5) a year-round outdoor climate that per- mits low-cost construction; (6) access to an abundance of raw materials; and (7) an atmosphere of hospitable con- geniality. Furthermore, the county's make-up fits admirably

INTRODUCTION

to meet the recent trend toward decentralization of the nations defense and civilian industry-frequently termed "accessible isolation." At present there are 17 industrial sites available comprising approximately 1,177 acres of land.

Agriculture-Washington County possesses three main advantages agriculturally: Climate, soil, and a proximity to national markets. The Farmers Cotton Company, 2 Farm- ers Exchanges, a produce market and 2 livestock markets all depend on nearby agricultural crops. Commercial fish- ing is still pursued to some extent on the Roanoke. The mild climate here adds to an unusually long growing season for crops such as peanuts, tobacco, soybeans, potatoes, cot- ton, corn, truck crops, grain crops, and some commercial grape culture. Local drying and storage facilities are at the farmer's disposal. According to the 1962 Census, the rural farm population was 30 per cent of the total county popula- tion. In 1950 the 866 farms had an estimated cash income of $1,454,936 from all products sold, and $1,135,109 from all crops sold. In 1962 the 800 farms had an estimated cash in- come of $4,119,002 form all products sold, and $3,035,202 from all crops sold. The farms found in this area are largely field crop farms and make up about 30 per cent of the total land area. Averaging approximately 125 acres per farm, the average farm has an estimated value of $25,000.00. Livestock and dairy farming have increased in this area, and impor- tant livestock and farming demonstrations and research are conducted at the Federal State Tidewater Research Station, five miles from Plymouth.

Within the past 5 years more than 150,000 acres of form- er swamp lands have been drained and developed, the area located primarily in Washington County.

Prior to the war years this land was priced extremly low. A group of developers bought this land and they have since sold large sections for more than a 100 per cent in- crease over the original price. One of the most successful of these developers (a local resident) purchased several thousand acres which have been drained and developed. Now hundreds of head of Hereford and Black Angus Cattle graze on lush pastures, once only swampland. Such people as Arnold Chase of Chase Manhattan Bank, Peter Grace of Grace Shipping Lines, Marine Development Corporation of Rhode Island and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company have invested in this reclaimed area along with many local residents. There has been a migration of midwestern farm- ers to the area. A solid community of citizens of Dutch ex- traction has already been established and more are antici- pated. Plymouth and Washington County citizens are wel- coming both new residents and new industry, the agricul- tural boom in the development areas will play a large part in bringing more business and industrial expansion. Ar- rangements can be made locally in regard to adequate hous- ing facilities incident to industrial growth.

Transportation-East and West traffic through Wash- ington County is served by U. S. Highway No. 64. The move- ment of through traffic on this highway is facilitated by a new by-pass bisecting the southern perimeter of Plymouth and another by-pass at Roper. State Highways Nos. 32 and 99 serve north-south traffic. Highway No. 32 has junctions with U. S. Highway No. 17, some 30 miles to the north of

INTRODUCTION

Water transportation facilities are utilized by local industries and the river and sound play an important role in recreation activities

Plymouth and with U. S. Highway No. 264 about the same distance to the south. This fine network of roads enables direct highway travel to the entire East Coast. By contact- ing the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce arrangements can be readily made for travel anywhere by car, bus, rail, plane, or boat.

The Roanoke running back of the Plymouth business district has available docking space and a channel averaging 30 feet in depth, providing the town with excellent possibili- ties for increased water borne traffic, and is within easy reach of the Intracoastal Waterway from Albemarle Sound. Local citizens and organizations are already attempting to further develop this part of town to the height of its poten- tial.

Commercial Establishments-Local retail establish- ments include 1 chain department store, 1 major chain super market, 2 chain variety stores, 2 drug stores, a dairy bar, several locally owned ready to wear shops, farm supply and equipment agencies, service stations, grocery, hardware, appliance and jewelry stores, boats, and sports equipment can be bought in two of the above. Included in the ready to wear are two high fashion ladies' shops. Plymouth also has three new car dealers, garages, and four furniture stores. Service trades include barber shops, beauty parlors, restau- rants, florists and cleaning establishments and a soft drink bottling plant.

Six lawyers have offices here along with several insur- ance agencies and a CPA. Five real estate developers also are located here.

Wholesale firms distribute hardware and associated items, building supplies, and petroleum products.

INTRODUCTION

As local businesses remodel and expand, together with new businesses on their way, Plymouth is rapidly becoming a most inviting shopping center.

The Chamber of Commerce-The Plymouth and Wash- ington County Chamber of Commerce opened a full-time office in 1959, it's membership being made up of business, professional men and farmers in this section, and it is set up to include divisions for industrial, agricultural, civic and retail departments, which are headed by a committee of able men.

The influence of this organization is already being felt in the area and will continue to be behind every progressive movement and to use its agencies for the best interests of the entire community. The management of the Chamber is in the hands of a Board of Directors who employ a full- time executive secretary. The office is located in the very heart of the business section on Water St. and has the sup- port of all other related organizations for a bigger and better community. Under the direction of the Chamber, Town Council and with the support of every citizen of the community, all are constantly making improvements to make Plymouth a most inviting and attractive place for people to live, work and play. The pace of the locality seems most suitable to all ages.

BY PLYMOUTH AND WASHINGTON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CLASSIFIED BUYERS' GUIDE

OF THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH

(NORTH CAROLINA)

1962

PRO UBLICO ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICAN

1898

ZED

DIRO DIRCODIREC DIRECDIRECEDRIC

Hill's Plymouth (Washington County, N.C.) City Directory [1962], Part 2

Author: Hill Directory Company. Publication date: 1962 Publisher: Hill Directory Co. Number of Pages: 246

Author: Hill Directory Company.
Publication date: 1962
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 246