Growth of Business

Growth of Business

Damascus, Va.
Laurel Ave.
Businesses
Early settlers

"Before 1900 there was only one store in Damascus, a general store opened about 1893 by Mack Wright on the lot where the N.S.Wright store stands now."

In 1896 Mack Wright married Ellen Legard, a first cousin of S.C. Legard, and built a home where the Methodist parsonage now stands. The Wrights had two sons and in the fall of 1899, Mack died of typhoid fever. His store was bought by N.S. Wright who came from Osceola, and S.L. Mock, and has been in continuous operation since that time."

"In 1901, the first drug store in Damascus was opened by Dr. J.L. Wingfield, where the Rollins Grocery now stands."

"On the lots on main street now owned by John Minton..., J.L. Gilpin, about 1903, built a store, his home and a hotel. As many as 18 roomers were there at one time. For a long time 12 Swedes, brought as laborers to the first extract plant, lived in the Gilpin Hotel. The Gilpins bought ice in carlots for making ice cream and for use in their dining room. The Gilpin store had some fresh bananas. Laurence Gilpin tells of the old farmer who came in and, having never seen bananas, asked the price of 'those sweet potatoes.' Being told they were two for 5 cents, he bought two bananas, sat down and ate them, not bothering to peel them. Behind the hotel Gilpin had a blacksmith shop."

"Within a few years other businesses were started. Damascus Lumber Company built a company store, with company offices upstairs, where the United Store was operated by Lincoln Industries until 1948. Until the day it closed, the United Store was known by as many as the Company Store."

Louise Fortune Hall

A History of Damascus, 1793-1950, pp. 25-26

Washington County Public Library

1900-1920

Will Stein

Hall Collection-Washington County PL

Document
Scanned image

Text
Still image

Box 2/ SB-A2