City Directories and History: 1908 – African American Mut. Insurance Co., (Supt. Rev. T.B. McGain and Pastor of Zion Methodist Church) Thomas Sawyer, (322 Railroad Ave., – South Dave Lyle Blvd.), 1917 – Elias and Brothers, 1946 – NA, 1963 – NA
The City of Rock Hill began their urban renewal project to transform the city in the late 1960s and it continued into the early 1970s. It involved the demolition of hundreds of homes and private businesses in the African American area as well as the East Black, West Black, Johnston, Hampton, and Trade Street corridors were all affected. Within a short span, nearly 40% of Rock Hill’s older downtown buildings were destroyed to provide economic opportunities, benefiting a few businessman. As part of this action, the railroad lines were moved and a new bridge crossing over Black Street was built to also alleviate traffic jams created by trains but in doing so, the old Rock Hill Depot building was also razed.
But the most transformative aspect of the move was to add municipal buildings to the landscape; the Rock Hill City Hall, the Center for Aging, the Library and the Rock Hill Police Department buildings.
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Dec. 12, 1918 – “The stock of goods Elias and Brother, in the store on Trade Street, where this concern was doing business when Peter Elias died, was sold at public auction today.” (Elias died in the flu epidemic of 1918.)
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