City Directories and History: 1936 – Pastime Billiard Parlor,
The Herald reported on Oct. 24, 1896 – “Capt. A. E. Hutchison is having a number of frame stores put up on Railroad Avenue.”
The Yorkville Enquirer of March 6, 1892 reported, “A fire at the old Hutchison Building on the corner of Depot and White Streets, resulted in the destruction of the building.” (This was Rock Hill’s first store location, the Broach Company.)
The Rock Hill Herald reported on Feb. 1, 1893 – “Material is being placed on the ground for a two story brick building on the Hutchison lot on Depot Street.”
The Herald reported June 22, 1901 – “The property of Capt. A.E. Hutchison is in the hands of T.F. McDow, Esq. as trustee, and will be sold at an early date. It includes all the property on the east side of Main Street from but not including, the old Savings Bank building to Gordon’s Old Hotel; the vacant lot on the corner of Depot and White Streets; the grove in the rear of Capt. Hutchison’s homeplace; the Sims place in the eastern part of the city “sixty acres”; and eighty acres of other property.” (The Herald reported also on Aug., 7, 1901 that W.B. Wilson, attorney purchased the vacant lot at the corner of Depot and White Streets for $4,900., at the estate sale of the property of Capt. A.E. Hutchison, held on Aug. 6th.)
The Herald reported on April 1, 1903 – “S.A. Clark has the contract to erect a corrugated iron building on the W.B. Wilson lot at the corner of Depot and White Street, near the Southern passenger Depot. It will be one story and will measure 36-40 feet. One of the storerooms will be occupied by C.M. Cook, who will offer a stock of fruits and confectionaries.” (This was historically the location of the Broach Store as well as commonly called Hutchison Store corner.)
The Herald reported on April 25, 1903 – “The three room store building on the corner of Depot and White Streets is nearing completion. The rooms have been rented by Cook, Jordan, and Nicholson who will put in a stock of groceries when it is complete.”
The Herald reported on May 30, 1903 – “Mr. W.S. Nicholson has again embarked in merchandising. His place of business is one of the new store rooms in the Wilson Building at the corner of White and Depot Street.”
The Herald reported on March 26, 1914 – “That there has been a fire at the Wilson Building on Railroad Ave., it originated in the grocery of E.B. Roach. The building being constructed of corrugated sheet iron, the fireman found it somewhat difficult to get at the flames. The restaurant run by Porter Alexander was damaged as was the market of A.F. Davis, which is separated from the fire by a vacant store room. The owner, W.B. Wilson, Jr. said he did not know what steps his father would take to rebuild. W.B. Wilson, Sr., is presently in Cuba.”
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 Herald reported on July 16, 1902 – “this lot was offered for sale for the new federal building. It was offered by W.B. Wilson and described as the Hutchison lot with 100 ft. on Railroad Ave., and 128 on White Street.”
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