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Auburn's History
by F. Marie Foley
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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 Crewdson's 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.
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The Marian Theatre that operated in Auburn
for many years around the 1940s to the 1960s sponsored an
essay competition through the Auburn High School. The theme of
the essay was "Our Town." There was a great response to the
competition and the following were judged as prize winners in
the following order:
| 1st |
Betty Robertson |
Betty's essay....... |
| 2nd |
Guy Neal |
Guy's essay ....... |
| 3rd |
Virgie Hatcher |
Virgie's essay ...... |
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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 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
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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.
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