Newspapers / The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.) / July 2, 1993, edition 1 / Page 18
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18A The News-Herald. Friday, July 2,1993 Here's what kind of town Ahoskie is 100 years iater Government Ahoskie is governed by a mayor and a town council. The mayor is elected at-large every two years. The five council members are elected for four-year terms, on a staggered ba sis, every two years. However, a voting rights case, Ahoskie Civic Association v. Town of Ahoskie, is being decided by a federal appeals court on the fu ture makeup of the town council. The Ahoskie Civic Association wants a four-member council, with two members elected from each of two districts and the mayor elected at-large. The town countered with a plan to add a fifth councilman elected at-large. Geography Although Ahoskie is the youngest incorporated town in Hert ford County, it is the largest and the center of the county's commer cial and industrial life. The town is located in northeast ern North Carolina, between the Roanoke and Chowan rivers, on U.S. Highway 13, known as the Pleasure Route, and is 24 miles south of the Virginia line. Streets total 30.5 miles, including 20 miles paved. Ahoskie occupies 2.5 square miles at an elevation of 60 feet above sea level. The community enjoys a temper ate climate with a mean annual temperature of 65.5 degrees Fahren heit with an average annual rainfall of 45 inches. Population The population, according to the 1990 census figures, was 4,535, just large enough to attract big business, but small enough to be neighborly. Churches Most important in the life and progress of the community are the many religious opportunities avail able for its people. With its very beginning estab lished with the coming of a church, the people of Ahoskie have not for gotten the substance of such a her itage. There are six Protestant denomi nations and one Roman Catholic church within or near the town lim its and many smaller churches in the surrounding area. The Protestant churches are Bap tist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Epis copal. Church of Christ, Holiness, Free Will Baptist and Church of God. Education Ahoskie has two private kinder gartens, the Ahoskie Woman’s Club kindergarten, one public pri mary school, one public elementary school and one public high school that serves all of Hertford County. Ridgecroft School, a private school on Route 3, has grades K- 12. Roanoke-Chowan Community College, a state community college extension facility, is about four miles from town in Union. Library The Ahoskie Public Library is located at 210 E. Church St. Culture The Gallery Theatre, on West Main Street, is a cultural center which provides live entertainment with local and imported talent. Presentations include musicals, plays, dances and children’s theater. The theatre also maintains an art gallery. Recreation Ahoskie has a recreation center supervised by a full-time director. The recreational program includes summer baseball and softball, flag football in the fall, children’s and adult basketball in the winter, and volleyball, horseshoes, weightlift ing and aerobics year-around. There are two lighted tennis courts, lighted athletic fields and picnic and play areas. The facilities are also available for senior citizens, exercise groups and other civic and service organiza tions. In addition, a private swimming pool offers more recreational activi ties. Amusement Ahoskie has four movie theaters under one roof — the Earl Theater on East Main at Catherine Street. Water system Ahoskie has four deep wells for water and uses elevated storage tanks. The capacity of the water plant is 2.5 million gallons daily. It also has a new sewage treatment plant designed for a capacity of 901,000 gallons per day. Water and sewer services are pro vided throughout the town and in some areas outside of the town lim- Police Department Sixteen full-time and three part- time policemen serve on the Ahoskie police force. The patrol cars are fully equipped with two-way radios, and police protection is extended to the rural areas as well as the immediate town. A State Highway Patrol office is two miles south of town. Fire Department Ahoskie maintains a Volunteer Fire Department with five full time, paid employees and 25 volun teer firemen, who operate four pieces of modem equipment. Fire-fighting water pressure is 50-60 pounds per square inch. Fire protection is extended into the rural area as well as the imme diate town. The present insurance rating is 7. Energy Electeicity is furnished by North Carolina Power Co. at the intersec tion of N.C. 461 and N.C. 11. Liquefied petroleum gas is avail able for domestic, space heating and industrial purposes. N.C. Natural Gas service is available for industry and residents of Ahoskie. industry The chief industries within the town and area include tobacco mar keting, sawmills, lumber and lum ber products, commercial printing, boxes and wooden pallets, caskets, peanut processing, aluminum prod ucts, feeds, knitting, plant food and seed distribution, newspapers, deco rative paneling, plastic products, clothing, fiberglass manufacturing and agricultural pesticides. Trade area Ahoskie is well-favored with wholesale establishments, being one of the largest wholesale dis tributing points per population in the world. There are six wholesale houses serving an area of more than 75 miles. The retail area has a radius of 50- 75 miles with a population of 85,000 people. Transportation Ahoskie is served by the North Carolina and Virginia Railroad. (See TODAY^Page 19A) Happy 100th Birthday, Ahoskie American Refuse Systems, Inc. is proud to be of service to The Town of Ahoskie. Recycling has become an important part of everyday life in Ahoskie . By recycling, we show support for the future of Ahoskie. To insure we all have a cleaner future, Remember... LETS RECYCLE EVERYDAY. american refuse systems, inc. 1-800-682-9961 How it used to be done Years ago newspaper type was produced on Linotype machines. The late John Hill, then foreman at 'The Herald,' sets type in this photograph. Eugene Ward, who began as a stereotyper and has now worked 47 years, longer than any other employee, remembered his former boss fondly. Even now at 82, the oldest employee, Ward "is a vital part of the mailroom," his current boss, James R. Waller, editor and general manager, said. 'News-Herald' has printed news of Ahoskie for aimost 100 years By Dana Edwards Staff Writer AHOSKIE — When remember ing the past, several milestones of each era shine as bright as the peo ple who created them. The celebra tion of Ahoskie Centennial allows each participant in its growth a chance to look back at his particular milestone and delight in the achievements. The News-Herald honors the town of Ahoskie and takes a glance at the importance it played in al lowing a small local newspaper a chance to become a beacon of light to its residents. First known as the Ahoskie Pa triot, the newspaper was established in 1909 by two enterprising young men. James White and D.E. Greene ventured out to issue a paper with the sole purpose to promote adver tisement. The paper carried little news and unlike its counterpart today, had no editorial views. It was printed in Raleigh and Norfolk and shipped back to Ahoskie for distribution. Paper stops, restarted Several months after its incep tion, when advertising subsided and residents lost interests, the publica tion was suspended. To the surprise of area residents, a young man named W.G. Smith came to town. Already with newspaper experi ence, Smith settled in the area as a buyer for the Imperial Tobacco Co. and began his second career in the newspaper business. In 1910 Smith set out to give the little town the newspaper he felt it needed. Renamed The Hertford County Herald, Smith gave it a di rection which has remained embed ded in the hearts of each reporter to cross its path. He implanted in The Herald's sys tem the need to cover issues con cerning the local community — is sues like school conditions, local churches and their contribution to each town, street improvements, living conditions in the town, po litical recognition and economic stability. As Smith saw it. The Herald was (See ’HERALD', Page 19A) Carolina Telephone A Partner In Progress with Ahoskie Celebrating 100 years of Community Growth Sprint Carolina Telephone I) 1993, Carolina Telephone
The News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.)
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July 2, 1993, edition 1
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