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The Tribune continues its 18th annual series of articles looking back at the news and newspaper advertisements from Mooresville’s newspaper of 100 years ago.
These news items, with original headlines, are from The Mooresville Enterprise, predecessor to The Tribune. They are transcribed, edited and introduced by local historian O.C. Stonestreet.
Brief History of the Town of Mooresville
In 1893 J. E. Sherrill, Isaac Harris, J. P. Mills, D. C. Brawley, S. C. Rankin, G. C. Goodman and S. A. Lowrance, formed a company and built the first cotton mill — the old mill back of the hotel — which was the beginning of the Mooresville Cotton Mills Co. The population at this time had increased to about 800. The mayor was S. C. Rankin, J. S. Harris, clerk.
Numerous industries were established and the little village began to look like a town. One of the things was a little canning factory where Mrs. Horton lived on South Academy street. Larger and better department stores were started, and other business houses. In 1900 the population was 1,535, with C. V. Voils as mayor and J. S. Harris, clerk.
Bonds were issued in 1904 for the first graded school, which was built the following year. The telephone system was installed by Samuel J. Brawley in 1899. Water works and electric lights made their appearance in 1907, and some of the sidewalks were paved with concrete. No town of its size can boast of such streets. They are wide and paved with asphalt. The work on these began in 1917.
The slogan, “The Queen of Iredell,” was given the town in 1921. The census report of 1921 was 5,000 people in the corporate limits with perhaps another 1,000 outside. There are 1,689 white children and 206 colored children in school, with 35 white teachers and four colored [teachers].
The corporate limits extend a mile in the circle, with the depot as a center. The town is governed by the mayor, C. P. McNeely, and a board of commissioners, with J. F. Campbell as clerk.
The town has five cotton mills, one of which has a large dye plant; two flour mills, one furniture factory, on mattress factory, one bottling works, one marble yard, one co-operative creamery, two banks, two building and loan associations, nine churches, one bakery, one laundry, one community house, one hotel, a number of good boarding houses, a volunteer fire department with two trucks, a band composed of Mooresville boys, and three school buildings (one of which has just been completed and is modern in every respect); numerous wholesale and retail houses.
The town possesses a novelty in the form of a clock which tells the time to all who are in hearing distance by an electric appliance striking the hour on a large bell.
One of the great factors in the building-up of Mooresville is the weekly Enterprise, our newspaper, edited by Harry P. Deaton.
Mooresville has a street lighting system known as the “white way” which is unexcelled by any city in the State, and is blessed with the best drinking water to be found.
The town has free mail delivery and free express delivery. There is a Chamber of Commerce with C. C. Johnston as president and A. B. Sandidge as secretary; a Civic League with Mrs. J. L. Donald as president and Mrs. C. E. Hawthorne, secretary, which have done, and are still doing, wonders toward the development and building-up of the town.
The Civic League was instrumental in beautifying the grounds around the station and the cemetery, and in securing the Community House. Recently a Rotary Club was organized, which is lending a helping hand. The Boy and Girl Scouts are doing work and are ready to help at all times.
Among other things is the Consolidated Fair which was a great success last year and promises to be still better in the future. Stewart Park is a most-attractive place and consists of about 15 acres. It was formerly the site of the Barium Springs Orphanage picnic grounds. It has a fine swimming pool about 60 by 100 feet and several tennis courts.
The prospects for the future are indeed very bright. Some of the things under consideration are a new station, change in freight yards, expenditure of half million dollars in improving the water system and increasing the supply. There is some talk of a shirt factory which will mean lots to our town; a broom factory which will be in operation in about three weeks. One of the most-needed things is some place of clean and wholesome entertainment for our young people.
So, the whole Town of Mooresville bids fair to make as rapid strides in the future as it has in the past.
[Note: For more on Professors Frontis and Leazar, Stonestreet’s book “They Called Iredell County Home.”]
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