Remembering Main St, Elm City NC 1940's and 1950's
- rdurham883
- 2 days ago
- 12 min read
The sign in the display window of the small Shoe Repair Shop was a simple, sizeable piece of a
pasteboard box cut into a square and pressed up against the glass to be easily read by all who walked on the sidewalks of Main Street. The Sign read:
“WE DOCTOR SHOES.
WE ‘HEEL’ THEM.
WE SAVE THEIR ‘SOLES’.
AND
WE ATTEND THEIR ‘DYING’.”
It was a simple sign, but it was a conversation piece and brought a smile to many faces. A well-repaired boot was placed in that display window, atop a small three-legged wooden stool.
That boot was like new, and its shine reflected light through the window glass. The unrepaired matching boot was on the floor beside the three-legged stool. That boot was dusty, with worn soles, and looked pretty neglected next to the shiny and well-repaired boot atop that stool. As I remember it, Mr. Jep Tant owned the shoe repair shop, and he repaired shoes. Mr. Tant had a pocket watch attached to a long chain. He would pull the gold chain and hold that watch up to
check the time. He would look up to the clouds and say to anyone on the busy sidewalks or in earshot, “Mighty Cloudy. Might Rain Might Not”. Mr. Jep Tant also practiced a form of good witchcraft. He could ‘talk warts away’ and maybe some other talents or gifts that I didn’t hear about. The sidewalks of Main Street in Elm City were crowded with foot traffic. There were so many different personalities on the streets, but they mingled. The banker talked with
the small farmers, and they all interacted with children and young people on the streets. People
stopped and visited, caught up on local news and gossip. The sidewalks were alive. Many people
walked to the grocery stores, drug stores, post office, and all the other businesses. People called out to each other by name. There were some big personalities on Main Street. Most of them were coming to pick up mail at the Post Office or stop in at the drug store for a fountain drink or ice cream. A few who come to mind are Miss Ocie Batts, Mrs. Ethel Braswell, Mayor Tyson, Mrs. Thelma Jackson, Mrs. Doles, Mrs. Louise Winstead, Mr. Leslie Farmer and so many more. I remember Buck Dixon as a child. He was quite active and always entertaining whoever was on Main Street. He must have been seven or eight years old. I was several years older, but some of my peers would egg Buck on, and he always entertained with his big personality. That personality remained, although much calmer, and he carried it to Silver Lake Oyster Bar.
There were some men who didn’t have time to stop and talk, so they just nodded their heads or politely tipped their hats to everyone they met. Jesse D. Sharpe was the Post Master for the Elm
City Post Office from sometime around the 1920s or before, and served at different times during those years. There were several Postmasters during those early years. According to some sources, Jesse D. Sharpe may have been a Postmaster since 1906. There were a number of changes in Elm City Post Office, and different ones served short stints as Post Masters. Jesse David Sharpe was also a merchant and operated his business during that time as well. The residents of the Town of Elm City walked from their homes to the Post Office every day to check their mail. Most of the residents today drive to the Post Office to pick up their mail. The new Post Office was built across the RR tracks on a lot large enough for a big parking lot.
There were two fairly large grocery stores on Main Street in the 1940’s and 1950’s. There were Wesley Doles Grocery and Woodrow Wells Grocery. Both stores had a full line of groceries, household items, and staples, as well as a full-service meat counter. Beef and pork were cut to order. There was no need for Elm City area folks to go to Wilson or Rocky Mount to the larger chain grocery stores. Elm City had everything right there on Main Street. Shoppers came from the crossroads and neighborhoods for miles around. There were two drug stores on Main Street. Branch Banking and Trust Company and the Post Office were located on Main Street, where Framer’s Alley now stands. There was a fish market, beauty shops, and one of the area’s most famous barber shops, Wiley Ricks Barber Shop, which provided services for folks for miles around. Wiley’s barber shop had a steam room, and the more well-to-do men kept that steam room pretty busy. My great-grandfather, Tom Wiggins, went to Wiley’s about once a week for his shave and steam bath. Wiley Ricks was not just a unique personality who wove common sense and wisdom into his conversations; he was highly respected far beyond Elm City. He was personable and listened to all the local ‘goings on’ and gossip in the area. His customers liked to talk, and Wiley Ricks was a good listener. He could also add some wit and wisdom to the conversations. He probably knew more about the people of Elm City and the surrounding area than anyone.
Carl Thorne Variety Store was located on the corner of Main Street, just across from the railroad tracks, in a building that had been a bank. The building is still standing. It is a large two-story brick building, and in the 1940s and 50’s, Carl Thorne Variety Store had every tool, household item, kitchen gadget, sewing equipment, material, thread, lace, dye, garden supplies, shoes, and clothing. It was kind of like a small version of today's big-box stores. Also, upstairs in that building, Anne had a full-service beauty shop. Other businesses on Main Street were W.E. Smith
Insurance Agency, and on the other side of the railroad tracks were the ABC Store and Elm City
Movie Theater.
The doctor’s office was located on Main Street next to Wiley’s Barber Shop and across the street from where Framer’s Alley now stands. Old Doctor Putney had used that building in the 1920’s and 30’s. His son, Young Doctor Putney, served in World War II as a Navy doctor. He came to Elm City after the war and occupied that building until he retired sometime in the 1970’s. Dr. Putney had so many patients that his office was always full. Over the years, other doctors joined his staff. Dr. Outland was there with Old Dr. Putney. A couple who joined in the practice with Young Doctor Putney were Dr. Golding and Dr. Maynard. They were part of that team of doctors who provided medical care to people living in rural areas in all directions. They even made house calls when needed. There was another doctor in Elm City located around the corner on Railroad Street. Dr. Fleming occupied that office and also provided medical care. Dr. Putney had an X-ray machine, but there was no modern medical equipment like today. People in the rural area must have had pretty good medical care because many of them lived into their 80s and 90s.
There were two hardware stores located on Railroad Street. There was G.G. Jackson Hardware
Store and Leslie Farmer Hardware and Gen. Mdse. Elm City High School was just a couple of blocks from downtown Elm City. When school was in session, the streets of downtown Elm City during lunch break were pretty busy with students making their way to the drug store or some just walking downtown while eating a sandwich from home. High School students were permitted to take their lunch money downtown and buy lunch at the drug store or other stores that sold drinks and snacks. The school lunches in the lunchroom were twenty cents. That twenty cents would buy a fountain drink and a pack of ‘nabs’ at the drug store, and we would have a nickel left. The Pool Hall was just around the corner near the hardware stores. The Pool Hall was the busiest place for students because they had bottled Cokes and they had hot dogs and hamburgers. A bottled Coke was a nickel, and a hot dog was fifteen cents, so we had a treat of a hot dog and drink for the same price as a lunchroom meal. The Pool Hall was not off limits for high school students, and I never saw anyone, either an older patron or student, with a
beer. Before the school was remodeled and a new, well-equipped lunchroom was added, school lunches were served in a room much like a classroom. Mostly what I remember from that room was a relish or bologna sandwich, or soup. The only drink available was a small glass of milk. The milk and the soup were about the same temperature. Once I was in high school and could go downtown for lunch, I felt sad for the lower-grade students who had to drink that warm milk. Things improved greatly when the new lunchroom opened, with modern ovens and refrigeration. They served pizza, meat, vegetables, fruit, and cold milk. I still liked going downtown.
My sister, Martha, was three years younger than I was. She fell from one of the pieces of equipment on the school playground (in 1949). I was in the sixth grade, and Martha was in the third grade. During the recess break a student came to let me know that my sister had hurt her arm “real bad” and was sitting on the steps where the school buses lined up, and she was crying. I found her and saw that her arm may be broken, so I walked to Mr. Fugate’s office and told him that my sister was hurt, and I was taking her to see Dr. Putney. He signed us out. Martha and I walked from the school to Dr. Putney’s office, which was just a couple of blocks. I remember lifting Martha’s dress and making a crude sling to hold her arm steady as we walked. Dr. Putney saw her immediately. He X-rayed her arm. He set the bones just above her wrist in place. He made a hard cast for her arm and a real sling. We were not asked for an insurance card or who was going to pay, nor were we asked to sign any papers. My father probably brought Dr. Putney fresh vegetables from our garden or some dressed chickens, pheasants, or maybe some country ham from the smokehouse. Dr. Putney had been a Navy doctor during World War II, so he had experience in treating injuries in a hurry. We walked back to school and signed in, went back to our class, and when the bell rang, we rode the school bus home.
In 1932, US 301 was completed, and it ran right through Elm City. US 301 was a narrow two-lane road and was the main highway between New York and Miami. It was traveled by some famous people. The Southerner Restaurant was a popular destination for locals and for those who were traveling through Elm City. Politicians and movie stars stopped at The Southerner
Restaurant for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I believe a Mr. Barnes operated the Southerner. When a famous person was spotted, the news traveled pretty quickly to the drug stores and to Main Street. This excitement continued until the late 1950’s, when the four-lane 301 Bypass was completed, and the New York-to-Miami traffic bypassed Elm City.
Cobb Furniture Store in Elm City had a full line of living room, bedroom, kitchen, dining, occasional, and outdoor furniture for folks who could afford high-end pieces, as well as those who shopped for the best deals and more economical options.
Cobb Furniture was there for Elm City area folks and for those who drove from the many neighborhoods and crossroads for miles to shop with Cobb. Thurman Thorne Appliance Store had oil, electric, and gas stoves. They had refrigerators and freezers from several brands and in several sizes. They had washers and dryers and could meet the appliance needs of almost anyone. Thurman had heaters that burned oil, coal, wood, and gas. They also did repair work on
Appliances and people felt the small-town service of dealing with Thorne’s Appliances.
The Elm City Depot (formerly Toisnot Depot) has served the area from about 1843 to the present. Wilson County does not have a river to move supplies and merchandise or to transport travelers, so the railroad was a game-changer for Elm City and Wilson County back in the 1800’s. The railroad was important for transportation and the delivery of goods for local use, and for timber and crops to be sold and shipped to other parts of the country. In 1843, the Wilmington and Weldon RR line was completed, making long-distance shipping of Wilson County pine timber and by-products possible in large quantities. The Wilmington and Weldon line connected with the Norfolk line. Connections were made from Wilson County to destinations North, South, East, and West.
“Turpentine Woods” was a term used to identify areas where turpentine was harvested from large tracts of tall pine trees and then shipped. This by-product was used to seal leaks in sailing ships, to make cleaning products, to waterproof building materials, and to make medicines. My great-grandfather told his story about how his first motor car was delivered to him. It was a 1912 Reo and was shipped by railroad to the Elm City Depot. A Reo representative drove the car from the Depot to Pender’s Crossroads. The Reo Representative stayed with my grandfather and that car for about a week to make sure he understood how to drive it and knew about its maintenance. I believe the Reo was made by the founder of Oldsmobile.
Elm City was not the original location of the Depot. The original chosen location was at Joyner’s
Crossing. The problem was that the landowners at Joyner’s Crossing were not willing to sell the
additional land needed, so the location for the Depot was moved to Elm City. The railroad was what put Elm City on the map as a destination. The name was originally ‘Toisnot Depot” but was later changed to Elm City. Even as late as the 1950’s and 60’s, the Elm City Depot was busy with trains stopping, loading, and unloading goods and supplies. The Elm City Depot had a full-time employee responsible for shipping and receiving goods.
The last person I remember in that position was Griffin Glover. I hear there are over fifty trains per day still traveling through the small town. Although the Elm City Depot building is no longer
used for shipping and receiving goods, the Town of Elm City has saved the physical building and
restored it. It is heartwarming to see this building restored and being used as a venue for meetings of all kinds. It is a beautifully and tastefully restored venue. It has been the site chosen for family reunions, business meetings, birthday and anniversary parties, and for weddings and wedding parties. It maintains most of the charm of the old depot and meets the standards for most special events.
Mr. George Tyson was the Mayor of Elm City during the 1940’s and 50’s, and he made his presence known. He had a booming voice that carried from the railroad tracks to the other end of the block at the drug store and doctor’s offices. He could be heard from the livery stables to Wiley’s Barber Shop. He took his position seriously and worked for what was best for the Town of Elm City. I don’t remember where his office was, but Mayor Tyson seemed to be on Main Street, sitting on a bench outside the barbershop or fish market, or he was in and out of the businesses. He knew “his” town, and he was there to make sure everyone knew who he was. He proved every day that he loved the Town of Elm City and was there to make sure it was respected.
The streets of the peaceful small Town of Elm City are not as busy with foot traffic today as in the old days, but the potential is there. Many of the old storefronts are intact and, with some sprucing up, would be even more beautiful than in years past. The businesses that chose to locate in Elm City are doing quite well. For instance, Framers Alley chose to locate there about thirty-five or forty years ago when most were moving out. The foot traffic on that section of Elm City Main Street, where the United States Post Office, Mr. Jep Tant’s shoe repair store, Elm City Pharmacy, and other businesses were located in the 1800’s and some as late as the 1970’s, is alive today. I believe the businesses that are on Main Street are doing well. The exciting news now is about an investment in making the Town of Elm City a destination for art enthusiasts. It is my understanding that an Art Walk is under construction. This could be a game-changer for the Town of Elm City. This area and all of Wilson County have such a wealth of local artists and a following of art enthusiasts. Sometimes it’s the paintings that tell a story or capture beautiful sunrises and sunsets, lifestyles, sports, the ocean, the mountains, lakes, ponds, or flowers. Sometimes it is the simple things.
There is that one piece of art I think of often. It is that old sign displayed in Mr. Jep Tant’s Shoe Repair display window in the 1940’s. That sign was likely thrown out in the trash many years ago, but I remember it, and I just bet others do as well. Don’t discard any piece of art that you create because you think it is not ‘good enough’ or that it doesn’t meet the approval of those who consider themselves art critics. I am one who feels that art should not be at the mercy of a “critic” but should be appreciated for its complex and educated work. It should also be appreciated for its simplicity and honest and creative interpretation of the artist. Put your creations out there. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Every piece of art is unique, whether it is a quilt made by your grandma or a poem by your grandson or granddaughter. Art is not always on a canvas. The way we put words together is an art form. The way we knit a sweater is art. Making jewelry is an art, whether it is made with diamonds and rubies or from pieces of plastic or seashells. I look forward to the Art Walk and the activity, excitement, and cultural awareness it will bring to the Town of Elm City. Keep Elm City on the rise.
Montress Greene
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