OCTOBER, 1959 MSWS page 3
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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.
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cm
7
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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.