This page has errors The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page.
0 / 75
OCTOBER, 1959 MSWS page 3 ^^^wiwisiissiis TRADE STREET—Looking easi along the principal business districl. Three other business-residential streets face Court Square. EMPLOYEES' HOMETOWN Dallas, N. C.—Touch Of Colonial Williamsburg Look where you will throughout the Pied mont Carolinas for a town with distinctive “Old South” flavor. You’ll find no better one than Dallas, tran quil in her setting of ancient oaks and time-seasoned buildings. Here, today’s progress keeps pleasant company with the past in a town which has been called “most reminis cent of Colonial Williams burg in this part of the coun try.” Dallas, on Highway 321 and 275, is primarily a residential community, with a population today of around 2,500. The town grew up on a citi zen’s land gift of 50 acres, be coming the county seat of Gas ton when it was formed from Lincoln County in 1846. Even be fore that, Dallas was a cross roads community, for the area settled by German and Dutch people, with some English and Scotch-Irish. Settled before 1750 Among earliest homesteaders was Sebastian Bess, followed by Peter Hoyle in 1744. The Hoyle family figures prominently in the early history of the section. Around 1756, Peter built the house which is today the oldest standing in Gaston County. The sturdy log edifice with its 11 rooms, interior of walnut boards and curving staircase, is a re minder of Colonial Williams burg. Upstairs, there are tiny windows between two rooms, through which mail left by coaches could be distributed to the neighbors. On this land grant, Hoyle’s grandson Andrew built the first area postoffice in 1817, and named it Hoylesville. He was postmaster for around 40 years, extending beyond 1848, when the office was moved to Dallas. This freeholder who owned a chain of general mercantile posts across the country, left an es tate of some $200,000. Of his many community services, he built the first meetinghouse in Dallas and gave it to the Pres byterian congregation. Named for Vice President The town was named for George Mifflin Dallas, Vice President of the United States during the James Buchanan ad ministration. Life here is centered on The Square, where in 1847 a log court house was erected, and re placed by brick in 1848. The in terior was destroyed by fire in ☆ ☆ ☆ The greater number of Fire stone Textiles people live in the Gastonia area. But several hun dred employees travel to their work from outside communities in both Carolinas. Of these "out side hometowns" several merit feature stories in the plant news paper. This article is fourth in a series. ☆ ☆ ☆ 1874. Some furnishings were saved, along with records. It is said that women of the town carried many of the records in their aprons. The structure was rebuilt within its original walls the next year, and some years later the present exterior of plaster was added. Here was the seat of county government until 1911, when a citizens’ vote moved the county seat to Gastonia. Since then the Dallas landmark has been a center of community life. An original desk is in the court room. Heavy iron shutters at lower windows recall the old days when taxes were collected here. —More on Page 5 PIONEER HOUSE—Peiter Heyl (Peter Hoyle) came from Ger many and settled near Dallas in 1744. His house of logs was built around 1758, later boarded over. It is owned by the Miles Stroupe family, the builder's descendants. A grandson, Andrew Hoyle, built country's first postoffice, which still stands on the lawn. An drew's 1794 house and the family burying ground are nearby. HISTORY IN BRONZE—Archie Deal (right) of Spinning, and his son Reginald, also of Spinning, look over the marker erected in 1957 on the town square. It tells of the formation of Gaston County, the gift of land on which the town was built, construc tion and rebuilding of the court house—now a community center. , - '^1 cm 7 I.l”.. EDUCATION—The town has an excellent educational system, with more than 1,800 students enrolled in elementary and high schools. Modern Dallas High is representative of school plants. PUBLiC LIBRARY—It is among several com munity branch units of Gaston County library system. This new building, just off the town square, stands in contrast to the Hoffman Hotel nearby, built of Williamsburg brick in 1851. MEETING PLACE—Carl J. Taylor of Weaving (cotton), Mrs. Taylor (right) and Evelyn Poteat of Spooling visit under the old cupola across from Trade street. In days gone by, this was a favorite meeting place for townspeople. POETRY OF IRON—Mary Ann Taylor (right), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Taylor, and Sherry Terry look through the ornate iron bannister on outside steps to the court house. Railings were forged at old iron works near Lincolnton.
