From the Yorkville Enquirer, March 2, 1892
Blacksburg held a celebration for the town and honored the original settlers of the community, first known as “Black’s Station.” In 1876, just after the completion of the Charlotte & Atlanta Air Line Railroad, there were 12 houses, 3 stores, a freight depot, a saw mill and a population of about 60.
Today, there are 7 churches, 2 schools with 324 pupils, 240 houses, 32 stores, 2 barbers, a livery, a market, 2 blacksmiths, a machine shop, a foundry, a sash and door factory, a planning and wood working mill, 2 ginneries, 2 grist mills, 2 saw mills, a spring hand factory, a tin shop, 2 shoe and harness shops, a barytic mill, a brick yard, 4 hotels, the machine shops and offices of the 3C Railroad, the Sulphuric Acid Mining & Manufacturing Company, the Magnetic Iron & Steel Ore Company, the Blacksburg Land & Improvement Company and 2 savings and loan associations.
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Jan. 30, 1889 – “By an act of the legislature, the name of the town Black’s or Black’s Station has been changed to that of Blacksburg. The PO is still officially called Black’s, resulting in confusion and lost mail.”
City Directories and History: This building was constructed in 1898 for use as the Masonic Temple.
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Oct. 30, 1889 – “Dr. T.B. Whitesides and Mr. W.D. Johnson have sold their stock of drugs to Dr. Fewell of Ebenezer. He will continue the business on Shelby Street until he can have a brick store erected on the opposite side of the street.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on July 3, 1889 – “Mr. W.M. Jones of Cary, NC has bought land near the 3 C’s Depot and will soon brake ground for a factory for wood manufacturing.”
The Yorkville Enquirer carried an article of events in Blacksburg covering 1889 dated Jan. 1, 1890 – “Seventy five new dwellings constructed, a new city hall and jail, the brick school building, the brick livery on Church Street built by Reese and Black, and occupied by Borders and Cline, two new stores on Mountain Street occupied by R.A. Westbrooks and George Parker, two new church (Pres. and Episcopalian). New businesses include M.L. Holland (grocery and confectionary), J.D. Gault and Co., (beef and vegetable market), George Parker (General Merchant), the 3CCC Railroads Paint and Machine Shops, and W.H. Stewart making brick on a large scale using steam power. Also a large sash, door and blind factory owned by W.M. Jones of Cary, N.C.”
On July 3, 1889 the Yorkville Enquirer reported – “Borders and Cline, the livery business has recently added to their stock several new and comfortable buggies.”
On Aug. 21, 1889 the YV Enquirer reported – “Work has begun on Mr. Isaac Moore’s house on Carolina Street. Mr. H.M. Angle is the contractor.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on July 9, 1890 – “The Methodist Church of colored people has recently been enlarged and improved.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Feb. 4, 1891 – “The Blacksburg Town Council has authorized issuing bonds in the amount of $700. for building a school for colored children.”
The YV Enquirer reported on May 20, 1891 – “The Blacksburg Foundry will produce a newly invented cooking stove which has special flues that are dampened controlled. The inventor is B.B. Babbington. Mr. Joe Black is owner of the foundry.”
The Yorkville Enquirer of June 17, 1891 – “Mr. G. M. Moore is completing a neat cottage on Shelby Street near Lime.”
The Yorkville Enquirer on June 17, 1891 – “Reported is building a dwelling on the extension of Rutherford Street in the NW part of town.”
The same date – “The trustees of the graded school selected the following teachers for the next term: Prof. A.M. Spessard, Supt., Ms. Esther Moser of Cedar Springs, Penn., and Ms. Mary L. Clarkson of Charlotte are in the primary department. Ms. Mamie Logan of Cleveland Co., NC, is the music teacher and Mr. J.R. Barnes, Esq. is in charge of ….. The trustees will also make improvement to the inside of the building.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on July 1, 1891 – “Mr. J.M. Guyton, the Blacksburg Postmaster, is having his building on Shelby Street raised several feet and improved.” And on Aug. 5, 1891 the paper reported, “The scaffold used in building Mr. Guyton’s house gave way, throwing Mr. Peter Kitchen to the ground. He was bruised by falling lumber but no bones broken.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on July 1, 1891 – “Dr. S.C. Fewell and wife, will soon return to Blacksburg and occupy their handsome residence on Pine Street.” (Also see Dr. Fewell in York Co., S.C.) The YV Enquirer reported on July 11, 1894 – “Mr. M.R. Reese has bought the house on Pine Street from Mr. Lee Wylie adjoining the Fewell residence. Mr. Wylie has purchased the J.D. Gault property on Lime Street.”
The Enquirer reported on Aug. 5, 1891 – “Mr. Joseph Black has opened an extension of Cherokee Street though his land in the western part of Blacksburg. He has also laid out two new streets in the same section of town.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Dec. 30, 1891 – “Miss Mary Gregory has been hired to teach in the primary dept. of the school. Miss Mary Clarkson, who has served as principal of the primary dept., has resigned and her replacement will be sought.”
The YV Enquirer reported on Feb. 3, 1892 – “Town council has ordered the opening of a new street running from Carolina Street, near the residence of L. Briggs to Cherokee Street. It will be named Giles Street in honor of Major Giles who once lived where Mr. Briggs currently resides.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on Feb. 10, 1892 – “Mrs. M.E. Deal has recently finished a very neat cottage at the corner of Claiborne and Rutherford Streets and was occupied last week by Rev. M. Hamiter, pastor of the Presbyterian church.”
The Yorkville Enquirer reported on April 13, 1892 – “Wm. Wilkie has bought a lot on Cherokee St., from T.L. Black. It is opposite the grade school building and plans to build a cottage there.”
The Yorkville Enquirer stated on May 10, 1893 that Moore, Bruce and Co has closed. This will leave only one barroom in town. (Unknown location.)
Images taken of the second floor of the City Hall – 2016
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