Hill's Rocky Mount (Edgecombe and Nash counties, N.C.) City Directory [1958], Part 2

Author:
Publication date: 1958
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 1002

USA > North Carolina > Edgecombe County > Rocky Mount > Hill's Rocky Mount (Edgecombe and Nash counties, N.C.) City Directory [1958] > 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).

INTRODUCTION

than any other north-south East Coast highway, and U. S. Route No. 64 is a link of an important highway running from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast.

City Government

The Rocky Mount city government operates under an alderman-manager charter, having adopted this form of government in 1927. Chief among the characteristics of this are better administrative organization, im- provements in the structure of government, and the elimination of unneces- sary expense, to the end that the taxdollar may be expended economically, and that the cost of government may be reduced wherever possible with- out detriment to public service. The tax rate for governmental purposes during the past several years has been greatly reduced. Not only does the city have an unusually comfortable credit margin, but with $6,000,000 worth of municipally owned and operated utilities consisting of gas plant, water plant and light plant, there is the definite assurance that the city can and will always control its tax rate, at the same time giving its citizens and industries the last word in service, for Rocky Mount's plants are of a capacity able to care for double the present population and industry. Rocky Mount's indebtedness is being reduced annually, and an adequate sinking fund is being provided in an orderly fashion, while every necessary im- provement and expansion is going on.

Municipal Airport

The Municipal Airport is located just outside the city limits on U. S. Highway 301 and along the main line of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, and is less than ten minutes' automobile ride from the center of the city. The area of the airport is 388 acres. It has two paved runways, each 150 feet wide, with one runway 3,800 feet long and the other 4,000 feet long. The airport is constructed so that an additional runway can be paved 150 feet wide and 4,000 feet long, which will provide taking off and landing in any direction. The Municipal Airport is lighted and has a complete weather bureau, a new code beacon and a revolving beacon. It is classed as a No. 3 airport. There is an improved hangar 80 by 100 feet, and it is so con-

Rocky Mount Municipal Airport

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INTRODUCTION

structed that additional hangars can be provided when needed. Rocky Mount is an important stop on the Norfolk-Knoxville and Washington, D. C .- Rocky Mount routes of the Capital Airlines.

The City's High Lights

Rocky Mount has a temperate climate. The average temperature is 60.8 degrees. From a health standpoint, the city is ideal. Records show that there have been no epidemics. The water supply is pure; the milk supply has passed every test, and received commendation from every source of inspection. The city has all modern sanitary regulations, with health officers empowered to enforce them.

Rocky Mount owns its public utilities. It has a modern water plant with a filtration plant rated at 11, 750,000 gallons per day, complete with pump- ing equipment and two elevated steel tanks (capacity 2,000,000 gallons). Rocky Mount boasts one of the most up-to-date gas plants in the entire South. National periodicals have prominently mentioned this plant as a modelfor any municipality contemplating the building of a gas plant. A net- work of piping and equipment has been worked out to insure an even and full pressure at all times and at any place served. The operating expense has been reduced to a minimum, at the same time assuring maximum work- ing efficiency. Ably-managed and well-financed, it is considered one of the most profitable properties of the city, and year after year a neat sum is derived from this source. It represents the first municipally-owned gas plant in the state.

Rocky Mount has a $1,000,000 power plant which is located on the banks of the historic Tar River. This plant was designed and built on the unit system providing for three times the k.w. capacity that is now being used, and in 1946 it was enlarged to give it 25 /0 greater capacity. In 1954 a $600,000 bond issue was floated to enlarge the distribution system so that any projected demand for power could be met.

The modern sewage-disposal plant cost more than $600,000. It is built not only to take care of the regular waste, but to carry any type of industrial waste, and is one of the most modern plants of its kind in the state. This plant is in the process of being enlarged to handle approximately 40 0 more waste.

Rocky Mount has one high school, one junior high and five grammar schools for white pupils, and one high school and three grammar schools for colored pupils. There are 77 churches in the city.

Rocky Mount has gone beyond its duty in providing playgrounds and playground equipment for its children. It has provided handsomely for the child's amusement by operating municipally 19 parks and playgrounds, 2 municipal stadiums (one for white and one for colored), 8 asphalt tennis courts and 7 clay tennis courts, 1 lighted softball field, several neighbor- hood and community centers, and 2 swimming pools (one for white and one for colored). Rocky Mount is one of the few cities in the state with a muni- cipally-owned pool for Negroes. All of these grounds are carefully looked after by a Park Superintendent.

Various a muse ment facilities such as merry-go-round, miniature train, boat riding, museum, zoo, miniature golf course, horseshoe pits and Dance Pavilion are available at the parks. The recreation program in Rocky Mount is a community operation with many of the civic clubs contributing generously toward the recreation facilities.

The beauty of Riverside Parkattracts thousands of visitors yearly, and during the warm summer months, picnickers find it an ideal spot for their outings. It borders on the Tar River. Battle Park, which is privately owned, is located on a rocky mound from whence Rocky Mount derives its name. A Confederate monument to the Bethel heroes greets the visitor at the southern entrance, and the driveway winds along the banks of Tar River, across which is located the second cotton mill ever operated in the state of North Carolina.

MEMBER : FDIC

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INTRODUCTION

View of the City Lake

Braswell Park is unusually well located, being nearer the central part of the city than any of the other parks or playgrounds. A wealth of play- ground equipment is found here. The playground is situated between Park View Hospital and the Public Library, and is a cool spot and delight to the children and nurses during the warm summer months.

The only 18-hole golf course in northeastern North Carolina is located at Rocky Mount at the Benvenue Country Club. The course is well laid out, affording the golfer enough of the uncertainties of the game to make the sport interesting and fascinating. The clubhouse is a handsome structure; costing approximately $45,000. Memberships are obtainable by desirable persons, and the club is well supported by a membership that is representa- tive of the best citizens. The Club is happy in the fact that it has no debts. A full-time golf professional has charge of the links and golf storerooms and lockers. Visitors are always welcome to the club. Rocky Mount is also represented in the Eastern Carolina Golf Association, some of its main officers making their homes here.

The rapid growth of the city may easily be noted by a visit to suburban Rocky Mount, where handsome homes are continually being built in de - velopments both to the east and west of the original residential section. All recent developments have been taken into and made a part of the city and are served with all modern conveniences. Some of these develop- ments 15 years ago were farm and wooded lands, while today they repre- sent the zenith of modern home architecture.

Apartment houses are rapidly being built, and for the family that pre- fers this mode of living, these apartments are so located as to make them easily accessible to the business district and other industrial plants and enterprises.

Rocky Mount has the usual fraternal orders, namely: Masons, Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Elks and Red Men. There are 18 civic organizations, including: Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Civitan Club, Lions Club, Exchange Club, Current Topics Club, Pilot Club and Business and Professional Women's Club; also Merchant's Association, Chamber of Commerce and Junior Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations.

Red Cross Chapter

The Rocky Mount Chapter of the American Red Cross is an organization

INTRODUCTION

of which the people of this community are very proud.

Boy Scouts of America

Rocky Mount is a part of the Eastern Carolina Council of the Boy Scouts of America, with an active district board headed by men who are enthu- siastic Scouters. There are nine troops under the leadership of well-trained scoutmasters.

Welfare and Charity

Rocky Mount has a well-organized Associated Charities board, with a full-time welfare worker and an able staff of assistants. Also providing a community service are the Community Chest and the Community Council.

Salvation Army

Rocky Mount ha's a well-organized corps of Salvation Army workers and this organization does very fine and constructive work throughout the city and community.

Excellent Facilities

Rocky Mount's steady growth has maid it necessary for a definite policy of fire department extension. The rigid restrictions on buildings in the fire district, which comprises the entire business part of the city, has, it is believed, been directly responsible for the absence of large fires in re- cent years, and a big loss by fire is, so far, unknown to the city.

Rocky Mount has four splendid hospitals, all on the accredited list of the American College of Surgeons and having on their staffs surgeons of wide reputation. Specialists for practically all diseases make these hos- pitals their headquarters, and patients from a wide area come here for treatment. One of these hospitals has a modern training school for nurses, and its graduates are accepted by all practicing physicians and surgeons. The Division Hospital for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad employs only registered nurses.

To prospective home-seekers and to individual citizens, Rocky Mount offers every factor that makes for happiness and ideal home conditions.

Rocky Mount Mills

MEMBER ( FDIG

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INTRODUCTION

Manufacture, Industry and Trade

For manufacturers, Rocky Mount offers many inducements, among which are the source and supply of labor. The abundance of female labor in the Rocky Mount district is an inducement to new industries. There is also adequate male labor, both white and colored. There are no labor troubles in Rocky Mount, and with the exception of the railroad strike in 1932, strikes have been practically unknown. The small percentage of foreign-born (less than 1 0/0) insures English-speaking labor for all classes.

Rocky Mount has one national bank and trust company, and one state bank and trust company, together with one industrial bank, four building and loan associations and one fire insurance company.

Rocky Mount, according to the 1954 report of "Sales Management," has over 480 retail stores, with annual sales amounting to $58,482,000.00.

Rocky Mount is the shopping center of a wide area, embracing a radius of 50 to 70 miles. In addition to the retail stores, there are numerous wholesale houses handling groceries, fruits and produce, hardware and notions. The city enjoys the reputation of being the jobbing center of a large territory. Situated in the hub of a fast-developing section, Rocky Mount has the natural advantages that attract people in all kinds of busi- ness. It is truly the marketing and shopping center of eastern North Carolina.

The city boasts one of the best daily newspapers in the state, The Evening Telegram and the Sunday Telegram. This paper enjoys a large circulation and is a member of the Associated Press.

Radio Stations

Station WEED (with WEED-FM), an ABC affiliate in Rocky Mount, is operated sixteen hours daily by a large staff, long experienced in radio broadcasting. It is splendidly equipped throughout, and promises to be - come one of the South's outstanding stations. WCEC and WF MA are Rocky Mount's newer voices of the airways, with 1,000 watts non-directional, and 33,000 watts F. M., Columbia affiliate.

The Chamber of Commerce

The Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce was organized in 1904. Its membership is made up of the business and professional men of Rocky Mount and the farmers and growers of this section, who are not only in- terested in the work, but enter actively into the problems and tasks con- fronting the Chamber. It is divided into departments-industrial, agri- cultural, educational, civic, commercial and publicity, and all depart- ments function and are headed by committees of able men.

The influence of this body has been largely responsible for the many developments of the city, and in every progressive movement, the Chan- ber of Commerce uses its agencies for the best interests of the community.

The management of the Chamber is in the hands of a board of directors, who employ a full-time manager, assistant manager and an office secre- tary, and maintain offices at 157 N. E. Main St.

YELLOW PAGES

ROCKY MOUNT

(NORTH CAROLINA)

1958

PRO BONG PUBLICO ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICAN

1898

ZEC

DIRT DURESDIREC

Hill's Rocky Mount (Edgecombe and Nash counties, N.C.) City Directory [1958], Part 2

Author: Publication date: 1958 Publisher: Hill Directory Co. Number of Pages: 1002

Author:
Publication date: 1958
Publisher: Hill Directory Co.
Number of Pages: 1002