The Daily Times-News from Burlington, North Carolina • Page 53

tmiingtan, (K.C) May 22, 1977 ti wkiefc i. IK bwiMM taasssiav takr ajw A MM JaWCW 1 HP This is rfnwuc tke Am Selbn which WM IvcMcd i-nmt Stoeet. It either Itll 1172. firm 1 Main Slwet iu flBA 1C kslBiKliaBiAfKtt ajAssssftashsskssiiW 0WUM9MI QwCxtMCW it lint WM located From Straet, later to Mbuu Time Trip To Company Shops: 1870s BYDONMUCN Let's fo back to MOttar Host to history. Hay right tare MT owm ctrjr, but yw will not rsrngsisT it It own kas a ditftMt iamr It to Campur Shop, aad the town very Ivft.

The town limits include only about one square mile, and the streets are dirt--either dnty or muddy OB the weather. there are the railroad at the northern end of the little towa's Mam Street There to not Oae bvsiaeas that has been operatinc a few yean is Pete Neese's jewelry store. Sooth of town there is a pood, Dear pre- nt dry Park, and that poad pcovidts water for the railroad enftoia which stop here. In the downtown area as we kavw it I today, there is not much. The railroad has a office boikJiag, and there is a hotel far jthe weary travelers.

It is famoas for its 0ne of the residents of the little town at that tbne was Dr. JL SeUars. Be was one of the few physicians here, bat he bad other as welL He had opened a small mercantile establishment here in 1175, bringing to Alamanrr County its first department store operation. That company remains in existence today as Sellars Department Store in downtown and Cum-Park Plata. Bat the 19th century store was nothinf compared to those of today.

It was located on West Front Street and had about 2,500 square feet of floor space, and it had three It was lighted by kerosene lamps, and it offered clothing for the family, but not the ready-to-wear clothing you would buy today. In the iSTU's people out of necessity made their own clothing from material bought at Sellars. It was not until a few years later that you -could buy ready-to-wear dothinf in Company Shops. The little store was beUetad to be the ifirsttin the county to use woman for derkSi inaking this move in UN when Mtos Amelia IBurch went to work. Previously were not considered for such jobs.

bad moved to the Mate Street location in UM, aad its growth atoce to shown by a visit to the stare today, aad plans are uader way now for a major expansion in the near Man. The store atoo had another posaibie first in the county. It is believed that Mtos Nerta Holt was the first woman to work in the business office of such a store. And the business work was done without the aid of im eowpmeat tot those days. But the store hiveoae of the earliest typewriters to the area, some say the very first It was a unit with two keyboards There was one keyboard for small letters aad another for capitals, a far cry from today's electronic marvels.

When the store moved to Mato Street to ISM. the kerosene lamps were replaced with the new aad modern acetylene gas lights. WWle the lights were much brighter, they were also far more dangerous. This type of light at one time was used to auto headlamps. The little department store to the early days took part in a unique system of trade which long since has passed.

Stores in Company Shops issued barter coupons, and they were used as legal tender. Stores in the village honored coupons from all other stores, and the coupons became the same as money to those days. The coupons were issued to various denominations, just as currency to today. As an example of what you could buy in this department store in the 19th century, there is an ad from UN which a "large lot of ready made clothing for men, youths aad boys from flJS per suit up large lot of ladies dress goods, trimmings hats, etc. pant goods, shoes, all of which win be sold at and below the same price of those that are 'selling out at for yourselves-" In 1193 still another ad for suits read blue black and fancy cheviots are having quite a run now.

They come in sacks, single and double breasted at fS, 97.52, HO and up." Thus a store which remains very much a pan of the area's business community today traces its back to Company Shops, 1872. AU11 MU GrendOpenioo Soyt Mr. Cammock of Cammack Office Supply, Inc. welcome The Company Shops Mall and all the improvement of streets and side walks being made by the City of Burlington and the Urban Renewal Program mostly "gratis" to all of the abutting property owners and occupants of rental buildings. We must realize and accept one all important Fact namely: BUT FOR COMPANY SHOPS and THE RAILROAD BUILDING 32 years period between 1852 and 1887 There would have been NO City of Burlington in this part of North Carolina AS WE SEE IT TODAY -Remember this.

Before 1852 Just 5 families owned all the land -later to become the Village of Company Shops for 32 years, then renamed Burlington in 1887. Their families were: Willes Sellars', Peter Sellars, James Fonville and Steve Richardson. Burlington is 90 years old this year, starting as a Railroad Supported Village of 1400 people in 1887, possibly about 200 families. But they were friendly people neighborly hard working, saving, ambitious pioneers, sharing just 2 coal oil street lights in 1891, thankful to have a 2 plank side walk and town sidtwalk and town well at Main and Front street mud or dusty streets until about 1918, when a street paving program was successful. 1910 or 1911 saw the first street cars and the Bigger-Better-Buriington sign also the small pox epidemic.

Thomas F. Coble of Alamance, born 1856 returning from Alabama to retire here in 1902, "To me one of the most amazing things about Burlington (from 1902 to about 1912) is Hs rapid growth" "new buildings are going up all the time. I can't remember ever seeing any other town grow as fast and a funny thing about Burlington there really never was any building boom. Thus, the horse and buggy days came and passed on Good for some things like friendships, being neighborly, helpful, trouble sharing, sympathetic, but always ambitious. Thus 90 years later, today 1977 we have the opportunity to share and live with a replica of the past our Company Shop Mall Lets make it another Burlington success It's yours to enjoy.

It offers a bright future with a touch of the past. Allen B. Cammock SPAPLRl Artist's Rendition of B.A. Sellars Store in 1872 Mill a fabulous of Festivities! Spcctacurar sales! Goad oW fashioned family fun and antartainntont during Company Shops Mll GrandOpening May 23rd through May love SAVE Colonial 3-pc, Living Room Charming sora. lovesest Reg.

$429.00 ana cnarr Aith tully up- fiolstered wings uawson arms, high tufted backs. reversible toarn cushions and alsatec skirts. 389 Only ROAWNO GOOD VALUES THROUGHOUT THE STORE Colonial Bedroom in Pin Jsfferaon Maw suiis has so'id pirs tops a-d carved decora: S6 eresser listen mirror ctissi. i racitionai crown-back has a tutted attached bacK oiHo-v. revers.t!e T-cushion and skirt Reg Eorfy jSjrerJcen ar-ow bocV rocker Horiaso-ne oam'ed eg.

SI 29.00 Wagon Wheel Bunk Bed S24995 METAL GLIDER 1-Chair 1-Rocker By BUNTING Grsen Old lenan $9900 WE DISCOUNT FOR CASH OO TUCKER-JONES FURNITURE PHONE 726-2752 ACXOSS SEUAKS DWT. STORE SPAPLRl.