|
Auburn's History
by F. Marie Foley
History of Auburn
by Mrs. Aaron McCarley
Historical Events (Part I
- 1919-1931), described by Christine Tinsley Rowe Hollins
Historical Events (Part
II - 1919-1931), described by Christine Tinsley Rowe Hollins
"OUR TOWN" Essay Competition, Sponsored by
the Marian Theatre, Auburn
"Our
Town" - by Betty Robertson
"Our
Town 2" - by Guy Neal
"Our
Town 3" - by Virgie Hatcher
Auburn’s History
by F. Marie Foley
If a concise history of Auburn were to be
written, many volumes would be needed to contain it all. Because in my opinion one cannot
write the history of a place accurately without the telling of the stories of the people
who have lived in that place, who put the meat on the bare bones of facts. However, in the
space available we will endeavor to give a few of the more interesting facts that combine
to make the history of Auburn. I would like to encourage anyone interested in
Auburn’s history to avail themselves of the material at the Kentucky Library at
Western Kentucky University, our local library and archives in Russellville and artifacts
at the Auburn Museum.
An archaeological survey done in 1992 on
land acquired by the city of Auburn to expand the McCutchen-Coke park, unearthed artifacts
and fire pits dating back to prehistoric Indians who camped there more than 3,000 years
ago. In the general area of the survey is what was once called the Big Spring, now known
as the Blue Hole. In the 1792 era, when my ancestors came to this area, the Shawnee from
north of the Ohio were along with Cherokees, Choctaws, and Creeks from the south, and
other tribes’ frequent visitors here, but always went back to their original homes
and safety. Indians and pioneers both used places like the Big Spring of never-failing
supplies of water for gathering places, pitched their tents and camped there. Mr. John
Viers, one of the first settlers in the area, owned all the land on the north side of what
is now, the Bowling Green – Russellville road. Mr. Viers gave the Big Spring to the
town. The town grew around its water supply and in 1858 the L & N Railroad ran its
Bowling Green to Memphis branch through the town, at which time Mr. Viers gave the land
for the railroad depot. Woodville as the town was called at that time began to groom
itself for growth.
Mr. A.
J. Corning, a
school teacher from New York gave Woodville a new name, Auburn, for his native town of
Auburn, N.Y. He was also a surveyor and surveyed and laid off the streets and lots and
named them. These records were lodged in the first railroad depot which was burned early
in the Civil War and so the records of the first plot were lost.
The village began to flourish when E.
R.
Gordon erected a flourmill and woolen cloth manufacturing facility just below the head of
Black Lick Creek, near the present location of the Auburn Hosiery Mill.
The town was incorporated in 1865. Its
population in 1870 was 610. An article in The Kentucky State Gazette of 1879 reads,
“Auburn has a population of 700, with 4 churches; two steam flour mills; a good
public school; and ships tobacco, wheat, pork and corn. The Western Union Telegraph and
Adams Express have offices there.” The Gazette also had a Business Directory for
Auburn, listing 20 names.
In 1882 a row of framed store buildings
on the south side of Main Street burned. One of Auburn’s first merchants, Mr. Dave
Childress’s grocery was burned in the fire. After the fire G.
W. Davidson built a
brick row of stores that is still standing today. There were two hotels in Auburn at that
time – the Crewdsons Hotel and the Planters Hotel.
The G.
W. Davidson Banking Co. was
organized between 1875 and 1880. It was located on the south side of Main Street. The bank
was merged with the Auburn Banking Co. in 1929.
There were two blacksmith shops and a
livery stable in Auburn in 1871. Mr. Joe Price owned the livery stable at that time. The
stable passed through many hands before being bought by my grandfather, W.
H. Pugh in 1922.
The stable was located on the west side of Black Lick Creek and the blacksmith shop beside
it.
The first telephones were private lines
from Mr. Dave Childress’s grocery to the Depot and from Dr. Helm’s office to his
home. The first town-to-town line was located in the Henry Aull drugstore, and there was
no local exchange until about 1902.
In 1879 there were 4 doctors and one
dentist practicing in Auburn.
The Methodist Church is the oldest church
in Auburn. Organized before 1865, the present building dating from 1937, is the third
occupied by the congregation. The Presbyterian Church was organized in 1865 and the first
building was erected in 1867. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized in 1866 and
was reorganized in 1906. The Baptist Church was also begun in 1866. Liberty Baptist
church, three miles north of Auburn was organized in 1828. The Christian church was
organized in 1890 and the Church of Christ about 1950.
As stated earlier the first teacher in
Auburn was A. J. Corning or Carney, who came from New York prior to the Civil War. He
taught in a two-room schoolhouse. When the war started he left Auburn to enlist in the
Union Army and there was no more school for some time. After the war Mr. Joseph Burnett
began teaching the Auburn school. He also served as pastor of the Auburn Baptist Church.
We are fortunate to have many articles about people who lived in Auburn at that time
written by his son J. H. Burnett in the 1930s for the Auburn Times. In 1892 the Auburn
school property was deeded to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Auburn Seminary
began. The seminary continued for 18 years, 1892-1910. At the close of the Seminary in
1910 the Auburn county high school began.
In 1894 John B. Gaines of Bowling Green
began a weekly newspaper, The Auburn Advocate. In the late 1920s Roy McDowell started the
Auburn times, which he sold to Mr. Percy Hurt in 1930. Mr. Percy continued the paper until
1952. Beginning in 1953 the News-Democrat publishing company at Russellville printed the
paper as the Auburn News.
In September 1957 the Nashville
Tennessean Magazine wrote an article about Auburn and interviewed Auburn’s mayor of
14 years Sterling Eskew. The mayor said, “Auburn is pretty well balanced for a small
town between industry and agriculture.” Auburn had a tannery started around 1879 by
George W. Caldwell, which in 1904 added a cutting and finishing plant, manufacturing a
long list of leather goods. The Auburn Hosiery Mill, owned by Roger Kimball was organized
and had been in operation since 1937. There were two large grain mills; the Auburn Mills
and the Auburn Roller Mills, at that time employed about 42 people between them.
Graham’s wood working shop worked 14 and shipped church furniture all over the United
States. Auburn in 1957 was exactly one mile square, the population was 950, and could
certainly live up with its slogan: Large enough to serve you and small enough to know you.
In April 1959 Auburn’s railroad
depot closed after 101 years. Already gone were many of the old stores and the families
who ran them. The Auburn Drug Store, with the memorable soda fountain, is no more. In
recent years both grain mills closed their doors. These were sad occurrences to the people
of Auburn, but understandable in an ever changing economy.
Still there are things that time and
circumstances are unable to change – love, faith, pride in children, devotion to
country, sadness at the death of a loved one, and joy at the success of a crop or a new
job. In this sense of continuity, Auburn today is connected very powerfully to its past
history and also to the future.
Auburn Times - Mar 29, 1935.
Mrs. Aaron McCarley has the distinction of having lived the longest in Auburn of any
octogenarian whose biography has recently been written by the Times.
She was born In June of 1850 at the dividing of the Russellville roads at the edge of
town. Two years later her parents moved to the South Union crossroads. In 1866 she with
her parents moved to Auburn and has lived since then on the plot of ground that she now
owns. Her entire life has been spent on the Dixie highway.
She can tell you many interesting events, which have taken place in our village and
community, even before Auburn was named. The first school she attended was taught in
the same house now owned by W. S. Hall, Jr. What is now Auburn was then known as
Woodville. The teacher who taught this school came from Auburn, New York, and gave Auburn
its present name.
Mrs. McCarley is in full possession of her mental faculties so much that when her friends
visit her they find her conversation so interesting that they are loath to leave
her. When a young woman she taught school in Auburn and it was then that the writer
of this article learned to know and love her. In her declining years her four children and
grandchildren are administering to her every need and her many friends are hoping that she
may spend many happy future days with them.
The following history of Auburn, Ky. was written by Mrs. Aaron McCarley when she was in
her 80's in the 1930's. She was the only child of the Dr. Holland mentioned and Sarah
Haden. Again we are Indebted to the L D. McCarley family for this article.
Printed in the Logan Leader - July 3, 1968.
OUR LAST sketch told about Commencement at the Old Academy
in 1868 and one of the "sweet girl graduates," who later married Mr. Aaron
McCarley.
Today we give a history of early Auburn, as she remembered it. She wrote this in the
1930's after she was over 80 years of age.
In the 1850's the surveyors for the L&N railroad came through here, and in 1858
the work was begun for the present railroad. A great many Irish families were brought in
to work on the road.
In the same year a modest school of two rooms was built on what is now Scott Hall’s
vegetable garden.
A. J. Corning of Cayuga County, N.Y., was selected to teach the school. He was a wonderful
teacher, worked hard to get pupils, and taught them ably after he got them.
The schoolhouse had just two rooms. Mr. Corning taught the advanced pupils in the larger
room, and Mrs. Corning the smaller pupils in the smaller room. Later he built a side room
and bought laboratory apparatus.
A number of Irish children were in the school.
The work progressed on the railroad; the Civil War was brewing, and school must give place
to soldiers. Mr. Coming joined the northern army and was stationed at Pensacola,
Fla. No more school for a while.
Later Mr. Burnett taught successfully for eighteen years. Other teachers were B.
D. Thomas,
Presbyterian minister; James H. Morton, Cumberland Presbyterian minister, John D. Spears
and others.
We have ample buildings and a good school here now.
I forgot to say Mr. Corning named our village, "Auburn,” for his hometown in New
York.
Mr. J. H. Viers owned the land on which Auburn was built. He sold lots from his farm, which
was divided by the railroad.
Two stores were built on the highway. R. W. Thompson was the proprietor of one store, the
Morton boys of another. Marion Viers built a foundry.
After the war, E. R. Gordon moved here and erected a large flouring mill.
To this he added woolen mills, which made beautiful blankets and other woolen materials.
This mill burned after years of success.
There was one church here, the Methodist Church, the ground for which was given by Mrs.
Eleanor Temple.
Four denominations worshipped in that little church; Cumberland Presbyterians being the
first to build a church for themselves; later the Baptists built a church and then the
Christian church was built.
James I. McCormack served the Cumberland Presbyterians for eighteen years. Mr. Burnett was
here as pastor of the Baptist Church for twelve years. W.
C. Taylor was pastor of the
Baptist Church for a number of years.
Faulds and others prominent in the denomination served the Christian Church.
John H. South, a very fine preacher, also served the Baptist Church for a number of years.
Such men as G. R. Browder, B. B. Orr, R. F, Hayes, P.
H. Davis and others served the
Methodists, having shorter pastorates.
The Cumberland Presbyterians had a very flourishing seminary here for a number of years,
taught by Charley Bates. Boarders were sent from all over the State--the town was filled
with them.
There were two saloons in Auburn, which were not helpful to the school. A number of
leading citizens decided to remedy this. In order to do this, they decided to send Col.
C. H. Blakey to the Legislature. The Trustees of Mr. Burnett's School wished him to have
introduced a bill forbidding the sale of liquor within a radius of two and one half miles
of a school like Mr. Burnett had. Col. Blakey who sponsored it put this through
legislature. And thus came our first prohibition move from which we have never swerved
until right now. The trustee's of Mr. Burnett's School at the time of the temperance move
were Col. David McCarley, Dr. McDavitt, Dr. J. T. Holland, Col. Blakey and Mr. L.A.
Freeman. This move occurred during tile 1800's.
Shakertown, a communistic society, situated on the highway between Bowling Green and
Russellville was organized when the Cumberland Presbyterian Church withdrew from the old
school Presbyterian Church. Those who were spiritualists joined the society called Shakers
and located at the Crossroads -- where the Bowling Green - Russellville road crossed the
Morgantown-Franklin road. They bought land on the Black Lick Creek-until they owned lots
of territory. It was their creed not to sell any land but to buy.
There must be a leader to all organizations. To one of
their order came an authority who valued the almighty dollar. He sold valuable portions of
land for a good price. And there began their downfall. They were fine farmers, had the
best of all kinds of farm products - horses, churs, chickens, silkworms etc. etc. They ate
no hog meat. Pa asked one of the Shakers why they did not eat hog meat - if it were a
matter of conscience or a matter of economy. He replied, "It's a matter of can't -
get - it' with me"
The Shakers were abolitionists. When they joined the brotherhood, if they were
slaveholders, they took with them their slaves who were their equals in every respect,
ever after. The Shakers never turned a wanderer from their doors, but took them in and
clothed and fed them. At one time they had as many as five hundred in their society. There
were ten when they disbanded a few years ago.
Jacob Yost, who kept a boarding house and also a dry goods store, owned a place known as
the Pottinger home, in the 1850’s. There being no railroad then, stages were run from
Bowling Green to Russellville and on beyond. These changed horses at Yost's, who also fed
the passengers and drivers, as it was a regular hostelry. He lived to be an old man and
was much alone. He had his buggy lined with sheepskins with the wool on them. After his
milk cow had been milked in the morning, she was hitched to this buggy and Mr. Yost got in
the buggy and rode to see several of his children who lived near Old Gasper.
David Childress had a dry goods store here from the beginning of Auburn. In 1865, G, W.
Davidson came from Allen County and bought an interest in Childress’ store. Later he
bought the whole stock, which he ran successfully for a number of years.
To this he added a little banking business. His clerks were Aaron McCarley and Lewis
Johnson. Johnson attended to the bank and McCarley the dry goods business.
This banking business was a success and grew to be one of the first banking institutions
of the county. At Mr. Davidson's death, Aaron McCarley became president, and when he was
disabled, Tom Hamblin was president for a while.
Hershel McCormack organized a bank later. These banks were consolidated and the
consolidated bank is in existence now with J. G. Coke as president (1930's).
W. N. Crewdson and his son had the first drug store. Ed Burr followed them, then Dr.
McDavitt and Dr. T. O. Helm, then Aull and Johnson. Aaron Coghill opened a clothing store
in Auburn. In that store one counter was devoted to 10c articles. This was the first and
only 10c store ever in Auburn.
Dr. J. T. Holland lived In the vicinity of Auburn for years before there was an Auburn.
After Auburn was being built, he moved to the village and did a heavy practice for a
number of years. After a lingering illness he died in 1876. When Dr. Holland was a young
man living at the Crossroads near Shakertown, he was called upon to remove a polypus from
the nose of a little child.
The child's parents took him to Russellville first to some older doctors. They feared
hemorrhage and were not willing to operate. Dr. Holland, being young, was willing to
undertake it, thinking he would be able to control the hemorrhage.
The parents brought the child. They made elaborate preparations to remove the trouble. Dr.
Holland, with tweezers took hold of the supposed polypus and proceeded to extract - ? - a
red bean -- no hemorrhage.
Dr. Edmund Burr and Dr. W. R. Burr did a lucrative and satisfactory business here. A
bright young man named Hatcher came to Auburn and did a wonderful practice until his
health failed. Dr. W. P. Orndorff of south Logan came here and practiced a number of
years.
There have been other doctors here, namely: Dr. Simpson, who did well; Dr. Turner and Dr.
Belcher, who are still practicing, and Dr. C.A. Wood, a young man who has recently come
into Auburn and is growing in popularity -- especially since he managed so successfully a
scourge of typhoid fever.
Part I
Ms.
Hollins shares a look at Auburn past with Logan County
News-Democrat & Leader – October 1992
-
Submitted by Christine Tinsley Rowe
Hollins
Years
ago I was given some papers that had been thrown away. The first entry was dated October
7, 1919. I believe some of the highlights from these papers will be of interest to the
community.
The
town decided to open a sixteen foot wide street from College Street, running along the
railroad to the city-limits where the black school was located (then called Auburn
Training School). All owners were told to set fences back.
Also the town board decided to fence in the Cemetery.
This was done in 1921 at a cost of $42.50. In 1921 it was decided to place “Keep off
the grass” signs in the cemetery. The cemetery sexton was to be paid $40.00 yearly
and fees for digging graves is as follows; 52 inches or under $5.00; common size $8.00;
extra size and those with vault $10.00.
It was December, 1919 when the first resolution was
passed to install electricity and 'running water' to the town. In August, 1921
Auburn-Woodburn Electric Co. was granted permission to start erecting poles, pending sale
of franchise. In October 1921, the franchise to furnish electricity was sold to
Auburn-Woodburn Electric Co. There was to be a minimum of 36 street lights with 16 to be
100 watts and 36 to be 60 watts at a cost to the town of $1000 yearly. They were to be
turned on as "early as necessary" and to be turned off a midnight except
"when the moon is shining" to give sufficient light and then the lights were not
turned on. Bills were paid to this company in October and November of 1922 and September
of 1923. On August 7, 1923 the franchise was sold to Kentucky Utilities. In November 1923
the bill was paid to both companies, thereafter to Kentucky Utilities. Guthrie Coke was
owner or part owner of the Auburn-Woodburn Electric Co.
The first street light I saw was on N. College at Ice
House Hill (where gas transformer is now). We were coming from Bucksville in a buggy in
the early evening and there in the middle of the street, strung from poles to each side,
was this "bright" light up in the air with no apparent support." Scared the
hack out of me.
In early 1921 a sidewalk was built on the east side of
Pearl Street from Hotel to E. L. Pearson home near the railroad.
In the resolution for obtaining “running
water” the following rates were set. Basic rates, Private Dwellings – Three
rooms or less $4.80 yearly – increased up to $8.50 for seven rooms.
Additional charges to basic dwelling rates, yearly
– Bath - $3.00; water closed (toilet) $3.00; wash basin $2.00; kitchen sink $2.50;
urinal $1.50; horse, mule or cow $1.00 each.
Basic Rates for Business Houses, yearly – Stores
(2 person or less) - $5.00; over two persons $7.00; Blacksmith shop (per forge) $2.50; all
other shops with 4 persons or less $4.00; over 4 persons $7.00. Offices $4.00; sleeping
rooms $2.00; photograph gallery $7.50; bakery $5.00; confectionery without soda fountain
$5.00; eating house $10.00; soda fountain $5.00. Bath where fee is charged for bathing
$10.00.
Miscellaneous rates: water per barrel 5 cents; stone
masonry – 4 cents per cubic foot; brick – 6 cents per 1000 bricks; plastering
– 10 cents per 100 square yards; concrete – 10 cents per 25 cubic feet; filling
cistern – 5 cents a barrel; yard hydrant - $5.00 yearly.
There were to be 50 hydrants and 50,000-gallon tank
was to be erected at the corner of Lincoln and Main. Later the tank site was moved to what
was then the Post Office St., so called because
The Post Office was where the washateria is now. This
originally was the WOW (Woodmen Of the World) building. This street has been named at
various times, Pond, Blind, Post Office and is now Perkins Street.
The Town Marshall was to be paid $5.00 a month. In
addition shall be paid 3% of all taxes collected. He shall receive 50 cents for all
arrests made and an additional 50 cents if party arrested is convicted. For serving
summons on witnesses and jurymen, he shall receive 25 cents each.
In 1920 the Town Clerk received a salary of $5.00. A
license to operate a pool table in Auburn was set at $200 for the first table and $75.00
for any others. Operators had to be an Auburn resident, in good standing and recommended
by the town board.
“In a 1907 newspaper clipping I have, the board
passed an ordinance that a license to operate a pool room would be $1,000 for the first
table and $00 for each additional table. Before this was passed, the board was presented a
petition against pool tables signed by “practically” every woman in town.”
“In the same 1907 paper, plans were made for a 14
foot wide “rolled pike” on a Carolina Street in the so called Wilson
addition.’ I don’t know if this was our present Wilson Ave. That street in 1871
was called Academy Street.
One week in May was clean up week and the Marshall had
to put a notice in every business house and home in town and employ wagons to pick up
trash. A Mr. Rogers was paid $5.00 for killing and burying cats and dogs.
“License to operate a Shooting Gallery was set at
$150 a year. License for Carnivals, Doll Racks or any kind or shows that have a chance of
getting your money for nothing shall be $50.00 per day.”
In 1920 it was unlawful for any person to drive an
automobile, truck or motorcycle in the city limits of Auburn at a speed of more than 12
miles per hour. Anyone caught exceeding this limit shall be fined not less the $2.50 and
not more than $17.00.
In September 1920 our Fire Department was created and
Vance Hogan (father of Mazelle Woodward) was the first Fire Chief and was paid $5.00 per
month. The truck had been bought in Logansport, Indiana for $2,400 before this and was
temporarily stored in Brakes Garage (located about where the HoBo gas station is now)
until they could get a big door cut in the Auburn Court House. This building was west of
Brakes Garage and the fail was on the second floor. Chief Hogan was given permission to
buy buckets.
Some man asked the town for $11.50 for damage to his
car when he ran into a culvert. He didn’t get it.
“Lost” another Town Marshall and hired
George Cooper at a salary of $25.00 a month with no percentage for collecting taxes.
In 1920 it became unlawful to shoot, burn or set fire
to roman candles, fire crackers, sky rockets, sparklers, etc with offenders fined not less
than $2.50 and not more than $10.00.
At the start of 1921, the town had a balance of
$1,327.06 and the Cemetery Fund had a balance of $273.63.
Also, in 1921 permission was given Standard Oil
Company to run an underground pipeline from the railroad at Pearl Street to George Coopers
lot and to Cross Street.
Citizens of Main Street, Depot, North Pearl, North
Lincoln, “Liberty Ave.” etc., petitioned to have oil put on streets to keep down
the dust. Town agreed to buy half of the oil and ordered 85,000 gallon (that is what it
said) tank. (I’ve never heard of Liberty Ave. before and would like to know where it
was.)
“Was decided no one be allowed to leave a horse
or any other animal standing around the public square of Auburn.”
December 21, 1921 was the first time Cumberland
Telephone Company was mentioned; up until then it had been Home Phone Co.
At first of 1922 there was a petition from PTA asking
removal of stallions and jacks in from of College (school). A motion carried to grant
their wishes. It was then rescinded because the Board said they didn’t have the
authority.
A committee looked into slowing down freight trains to
15 miles per hour. All the passenger trains stopped. (People went everywhere by train and
everyone would go to the depot at train time to see who was coming and going). The Bowling
Green bound train was called the “Dinky.” Most of all the “Drummers”
(salesmen) came to town by train.
Part II (More anecdotes from Christine Rowe Hollins about Auburn – Published
in News-Democrat & Leader in October 1992)
From the Ice Factory to the Telephone Coop.
It was decided
to exempt the “Ice Factory” from taxes for five years. We put a fence around the
“Blue Hole.” (I remember it was said to be “bottomless and
dangerous.”)
It was decided
any peddlers who shall peddle wares, goods or merchandise in any form except farm produce
shall buy a license for $2.00. B. M. Porter was paid $5 for car hire to try to catch
bootleggers.
It was 1923
when the Cumberland Presbyterian Church petitioned for concrete walk starting at the
Church on Main and going to the undertakers shop on Lincoln. (This is where the Baptist
Parsonage is now).
In 1923 the
town exempted from taxation for five years the proposed New Tobacco Receiving House of the
Dark Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association. In 1925 they were told to repair the
sidewalk along their property. (I understand this was where Harold Rogers buildings are
now located.)
In October
1924 this statement was made. “It shall be unlawful for anyone to erect or move into
a fire zone any “house on wheels” unless it meets the requirements of Fire Zone
Ordinance and that the two now in town not be moved to another location without the
consent of the Trustees.” Later it was decided to let the owner of the “house on
wheels” located on Pearl Street to be moved to Main Street to join second “house
on wheels.”
In August of
1924 the town had a balance of $130.69; Cemetery Fund was $547.85. The year of 1925
started off with plans to pay each fireman $2 for each fire “when they have to fight
same.”
G.
W. Davidson
Bank had capital and surplus of $45,000. “Town decided to buy all rock ‘can
afford to,’ at $2.50 a yard, delivered on streets.”
In 1926 it was
decided to prohibit the playing of marbles on public lots, streets and alleys. Another
decision was made to prohibit putting posters, etc., on any telephone, electric or other
public poles.
K.
F. Shannon,
representing the businessmen of town, asked the town to help build two sanitary closets.
It was decided to allow $75 each for the two to be built, one on each side of the town
just behind the business block. Owner to give 25-year lease for that purpose or until a
better system be had. (There are still remnants of brick walkway from back of hotel and
Cox Variety Store to one of those public johns.)
It was January
26, 1916 when we bought our first fire siren for $285.15.
Caldwell
Howlett asked the town to help put sidewalks in front of skating rink. (It was where
Gateway is now). The cost to skate in the rink was five cents if you had your own skates
and ten cents if you had to rent skates: (Magistrate E.
B. Perkins and Elizabeth Harding
won the skating contest.)
In 1928 an
attorney was hired to take care of legal business for $100 per year.
In case of
sickness, permission was given to rope off the street in front of the patient’s
house. The town was not to furnish the lantern or the rope.
“Bought
new cemetery ground from C.D. Huffins” (Jimmy Duer’s grandfather)
In 1928,
Main Street was in such bad shape (it was gravel) that improvements were necessary from W.
City limits to the bridge at E. City limits, by putting in curbs, guttering and paving.
The State Highway Department is to help because they consider our Main Street a necessary
link in The Dixie Highway.
The bid for curbs and guttering was let to C. B. Peart
at a cost of $9532 and work was done in 1930. The bid for surfacing was let in June 1930
to Campbell and Company of Bowling Green at a cost of $19,989.37 and finished in December
1930. Cost was to be paid for by adjustment to property owners. They could pay cash in 30
days or use the 10-year plan. For this plan the Town issued 49 Town of Auburn Main Street
Improvement Bonds. There were 12 $500 ones; 36 $100 ones and one $162.84. They were issued
January31, 1930. (Four of these bonds have been framed and presented to City Hall by
Christine Tinsley Rowe Hollins and the Auburn Woman’s Club.)
“Raising the speed limit from 12 miles per hour
to 20 miles per hour. Trustees voted to raise their salary to $2 a meeting and $2.50 to
the chairman.”
In 1930 during construction, people
“speeding” through town on unpaved streets were raising intolerable amount of
dust so the town hared a motorcycle policeman. He wasn’t here long, possibly a few
months, and was discharged June 1930. On his little putt-putt cycle he patrolled from the
bridge over the creek to West City limits. Slowed traffic down and gave us a lot of
excitement.
The first of 1930 it was made unlawful to loiter on
streets after 11:00. If caught “unless on business, on route home or in judgment of
Marshall on a necessary mission” you shall be arrested and placed in jail for the
rest of the night unless you could furnish good bond of $200 and appear before Police
Judge next day to show reason why he or she was so doing. If no good reason, fine would be
not less than $1 and not more than $17.
It was June 1930 when we sold a gas franchise to
Missouri-Kansas Pipe Line Company to lay pipes for distribution of natural and artificial
gas or a mixture of said gases to home and businesses.
“Made plans to have town surveyed to establish
lines for incorporation.
The Garden club petitioned the town to protect
trellises downtown. Town ordained it to be unlawful to hitch horses, mules, cattle or any
other animal to trellises between business of H. B. McClary (where Telephone Co-op is now)
and T. J. Gill (where part of Hosiery Mill is now).
It was April 1931 when a bid for franchise for
construction, maintenance and operation of a telephone system was sold to Southern
Continental Telephone Company. Rates to be: Business – single line $2.50 a month,
party lines $2 per month; Residence – single line $1.50, party lines $1.25.
This tells us about some of the things going on in our
little town from 1919 to 1931.
“Our Town”
by
Bettye Robertson, 11th Grade
Our town is not a large
or important place. It isn’t even on many maps of Kentucky. It’s just like many
other small towns, yet different because it is Our Town.
Auburn is a small, dreamy, comfortable
sort of place, with cool, quiet, tree-shaded streets.
You read about towns such as ours and
think how you would like to live in such a place, when if you would but look about you,
you would find you are already there.
Our Town boasts a hosiery mill, two
flourmills, and a leather factory, which employ the majority of the people. We also have a
hotel, a theatre, and a fine school building.
People from other towns like our
town, and we that go away nearly always come back. It has a certain charm that you will
not find other places because it is our home. The people in this town of ours are no
different from any other people, yet they seen to belong to the town and their homes.
They, like everyone else, have to struggle to live sometimes, but it doesn’t seem
such a struggle with friends on every side to help you.
Our Town is a friendly little town.
It seems to take people into its heart and let them bask in the warm sunshine of true
friendship.
Our Town is proud of its fine
little churches whose doors are always open for worship. Its people are energetic, and for
a small town has a variety of entertainment.
If you have not gone to school in
Our Town, you have missed something very beautiful in the companionship and friendliness
that is shown there.
We have our own trials and
misunderstandings, and disillusionments, but they are usually settled easily, and life
goes placidly on in Our Town.
Note 1: The above essay is one of a
series of eight written in the “Our Town” essay contest, sponsored by the Marion
Theatre, and received first prize. Printed in the Auburn News issue of September 27 1940.
Note 2: It is estimated that Bette
would be about 17 years of age in 11th grade, being born c.1923.
“Our Town 2”
by
Guy Neal, 12th Grade
Auburn Times - Oct 4, 1940
Auburn in the Past and Present.
In 1865 Auburn was a small village with a
few stores and houses. The town was named by a school teacher who came here from the
North. He named it Auburn because it meant "Beauty of the Plains," The walks
were made of tan bark.
The roads were narrow and the main road
was made of cobble-stones. It was called the Stage Coach Road, and it ran from Bowling
Green to Clarksville. It is said that some houses here in 1865 were used to feed and to
give them something to drink.
All the property was enclosed by high
fences. Nearly everybody had a flower garden and kept their lawns in fine condition.
The first train that ran through here was
fired by wood and had one coach.
They had the same churches then as we
have today. They are the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, and Christian. Today we have
another one, the Cumberland Presbyterian.
The only industry here at that time was
the Gordon Flour and Woolen Mill, located where the hosiery mill now stands. As the years
went by stores and houses went up and soon there was a row of stores facing each other.
Once a fire started in a store and the whole row burned.
The school house was located in the grove
where the Scott Hall residence is now located. The books in those days were Blue Back
Spellers, Butler's Grammar, and Ray's Arithmetic. For lights they had lanterns and coal
oil lamps. The favorite games were leap frog, town ball and fox in the morning. School
opened at eight and closed at four. At the end of school the boys made speeches and the
girls wrote compositions.
Later a school house was built in back of
the Methodist Church with a large campus for play ground. Now the school house has been
turned into a residence on the street known as Wilson Avenue.
For outside reading they had the Farm and
Home Journal, Courier Journal and the Farmer's Almanac.
Today we have a modern city on a highway
stretching from North to South. The sidewalks are made of concrete instead of tan bark. We
have electricity offering every convenience, stores offering opportunities for shopping at
home. We have a wonderfully equipped school building offering every opportunity for
learning, picture shows, and automobiles for pleasure.
In the industrial field we have the
hosiery mill offering employment for men and women. There are two flour mills which
recently have built large wheat granaries. We have a leather factory, tannery, ice
company, and a water plant.
Today as we walk down the street we
wonder how the town has improved so much in the last few years, but if we stop to think
the citizenship is of the best and I think if we are to keep progressing we must be up and
doing as our pioneer friends have done, that we too may leave footprints on the sand of
time.
Note: This is the second of a series of
eight essays in the "Our Town" contest sponsored by the Marion Theatre.
“Our Town 3”
by
Virgie Hatcher, 10th Grade
"Auburn, sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the
plain."
Auburn was
founded about 150 years ago and was first called Woodville, after a little school house in
Mr. Scott hall's yard. Later Professor Corney gave it the name of Auburn from Auburn, New
York.
Auburn is
located in Logan County on Black Lick Creek, which supplies Auburn with water.
The first post office was across the road from
the Griffith where the first store was located.
Later another school house was erected on the
hill of the old Robertson place, and there, stage coaches between Russellville and Bowling
Green changed horses. The first two-room school house was across the creek, and the first
four room school house was a high school and graded school, it was back of the Methodist
Church.
The earliest church in Auburn was Methodist,
which stood where T. B. Wilson now lives. The second church was also Methodist, built on
the same ground as the Methodist Church is today. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church was
built and later the Baptist and Christian Churches were erected, but none of the original
churches remain today; all have been replaced by new buildings.
At first Auburn people voted at the head of the
big springs; there were only eight votes cast.
An old water grist mill run by Black Lick Creek
was located where the hosiery mill now stands, supplied the needs of the community. The
railroad came through in about 1858. The first railroad station was at the cut, about one
mile from the one we have today, the station was called Irish Town, because most of the
people who lived around it were Irish.
There is only one person now living, who was born
and raised in Auburn, that has seen Auburn grow from a little crossroad village into an
industrial town.
Auburn is divided into two sections by the pike,
North and South. The North side is called Coon Range and the South is called Carolina.
Today Auburn is an industrial town, It has twelve
stores, a graded and high school, two roller mills, a hosiery mill three garages, five
filling stations, a hotel, bank, post office, ice factory, tanning yard, leather shop,
beauty parlor, barber shops, wonderful theatre, and other places of amusement.
The residential section of Auburn is unsurpassed
for beauty, cleanliness, and the people are kind hearted, and friendly and real neighbors.
| 
