“Mr. C. L. Cobb was the man who transformed Rock Hill’s economic standing in the Carolinas.”
City Directories and History: 1922 – C.L. Cobb, 1946 – J. Harold McFadden Jr., 1963 – Vacant – 1975 – Southern Bank and Trust
“The most interesting architectural feature of the Hyder Ratterree house at 324 East Main Street was a tower-like corner room with a cupola roof. This attractive two-story frame structure was built by Hyder Ratterree and wife, Minnie Hope, who was a daughter of Dr. Robert Harvey Hope, probably between 1880 and 1885. The Ratterrees had only one child, Janie Hope, who was the first wife of Rock Hill banker Charles Lonergan Cobb. The writer remembers that Miss Alice McFadden owned this house and occupied it in 1942.” [Robbins – White Tour History]
Birdseye view of East Main Street. The home on the right (full image of), was the Cobb home. Courtesy of the YC Library.
The Cobb house was one of the smaller dwellings on East Main Street and was dwarfed by the expansive Friedheim home next door but it had beautiful Gothic Revival lines of an late 19th century house and along with the old Mills house [burned and replace by the Friedheim house] on East Main were two of the city’s oldest structures.
Image of Charlie Cobb’s 1892 school class at Central School. Note that both Charlie Cobb and his future wife, Janie Ratterree are each pictured.
Mr. C.L. Cobb of Rock Hill was one of the most influential citizens of Rock Hill’s development history. A banker and gigantic supporter of economic development for Rock Hill, he helped move Rock Hill from a small farming community to one of the state’s largest banking centers. Mr. Cobb was so successful he was featured by Life Magazine and noted for his character. Besides being a principal of People’s National Bank he created the Cobb House on East Main Street, helped develop what would become Myrtle Drive, Rock Hill’s most prestigious address, and untold acts of support for the city.
Courtesy of the Pettus Archives (Azer Collection), at Winthrop Archives.
ROCK HILL’S “FIRST SKYSCRAPER” WAS A WONDER – Contributed and written by Paul M. Gettys
In 1910, the local newspapers were full of enthusiastic articles about the new Peoples National Bank Building on Main Street. The building, which was converted to residential use several years ago by Harry Dalton and now houses several condominiums, elicited excitement among Rock Hill’s citizens when it was under construction. The Rock Hill Herald, in articles on April 21 and 22, 1910, gave detailed descriptions of the building and its opening. It noted that “Rock Hill’s first ‘skyscraper’ presents a handsome appearance, both inside and out. Built of brick with stone trimmings, it is four stories high and has also a roomy basement…”
The main floor was occupied by the Peoples National Bank and the Peoples Trust and Insurance Department. The bank space was “a marvel of quality, elegance, and good taste. The fixtures are of purest white marble, the gratings of bronze, the woodwork of highly tones golden oak, and the floor beautifully tiled.” The lobby featured columns supporting the ceiling and three large stained glass lights. The writer noted “an especially attractive feature, adding greatly to the bank’s facilities, is the ladies’ booth, occupying the center space. In an alcove is a table and chair where ‘my lady’ may sign her checks unmolested by the bustling crowd.” It seems the banking world has changed.
C.L. Cobb pictured in the Post Magazine in Nov. 23, 1946, getting a shave in the barber shop in the People’s Bank building basement.
In addition to the bank and insurance business, the building housed a number of other tenants. The second floor housed the Wilson and Wilson law firm and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company office. On the third floor were the Spencer and Spencer law firm and Mr. C. K. Chreitzberg. The basement was ready for occupancy by a barber shop. On the dizzying heights of the fourth floor, the Catawba Club had great views of the city far below. On the Thursday before the building’s opening on Monday, April 25, the elevator was running and “many citizens took a ride on Rock Hill’s new ‘vertical trolley.”
The Herald reported on April 11, 1925 -” Peoples National Bank had assets of $2,743,867., the National Union Bank has assets of $2,200,654. and Citizens Bank and Trust has assets of $1,002,576.”
The Dalton Building is still a handsome presence on Rock Hill’s Main Street over a century later.
Mr. C.L. Cobb was highly involved in the development of local businesses such as Celanese.
Click on the More Information > links found below the picture column for additional data on the history of Rock Hill and it’s commercial history via Mr. C.L. Cobb. Also see further information at: The Herald Article – 2015 And be sure to click on Lauelwood Cemetery Tours for his gravesite.
Click HOME to return to the numbered site tour of Rock Hill’s downtown.
The McElwee Store ledger of 1915 – 16 states that C.L. Cobb was an account holder at their store on Main Street.
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