OldsCars, iMuddy Trails Recalled
By DALE GADDY
Today a young man zooms
down the North Carolina high
wayi with no coacera (or the
condition of the expansive rib
bons of cencrete on which he
drives. or for the machine
which he manipulates. Progress
has afforded him a sleek, shin
ey, sports coupe with tube leas
tires and automatic transmis
sion. The roads have become
freeways, winding on and on
from sea to sunset, with sel
dom, if aver, a break in the
wide pavement.
Hera decades ago the scene
was quite different, as moat
pi e- World War II driven can
testify. What were called roads
then were little more than
paths ? paths which inevitably
became bede of mud.
Faw bridges existed a ad al
most no good ones could be
found in the western seetieti of
the state. If one had to get to
the other side of the Watauga
he simply forded the creek ?
and usually in his Ford.
The 'X' Model (and other
cars) were slow to make their
appearance in the hills of Wa
taga County. Folks didn't get
around much in those daya?
not, at least, by means of mo
tored vehicle. Relatively few
persons had need of venturing
outside the county. And those
outside the county found it no
easy task ta venture into the
now acclaimed Holiday High
lands.
But little by little, progress
can* even to northwestern
North Carolina. Roadways ware
hewn out of the mountains.
The; cars came. Asd the wfeekly
bonanza of excitement ? watch
ing a real "sure 'nuff " ear get
gasqline pumped into its in
nards?became a most among
hill dwellers.
t \
Eventually, other cars made
their appearance. The Essex,
Viking, Marquette, LaSalle,
Oakland, Whippet, Chevrolet
Nasi, and Oldamobile were
among everyday discussions at
the barber shops in t*vn or
wherever auto-enthusiasts con
gregate to discuss cars.
of the make or model of car
the Wataugan of tlfCT early
1920's drove. Even today, roads
in the county are sometimes
steep. But in the 1920's, it took
a good deal of daring and a
lack of fear to navigate the old
tin lizzy over a Watauga Coun
ty road.
AND ACROSS THE HILL . . CAME THE MAN AND THE TEAM
In Boone proper, the first
service station was erected on
the corner of Depot and King
streets, where Todd and Hig
gins Esse now stands. Built by
Floyd Ward, it soon became the
most popular place in town ?
especially when someone chug
a lugged their belching buggy
up to the' glass-topped gas
pumps.
Prior to that time, gas had
been hanled to Boone in bar
rels. Recalls Ralph Winkler,
"We used to bring up 220 gal
lon of gaoline in four barrels
from Lenoir. Ttte gas sold for
55 cents per gallon in those
days.
"W? mini to pump it out in
one-gallon cups and then pour
it into the car tanks. This was
back in 1017, -18, -19."
Later, according to Winkler,
various grocery stores through
out the county began adding
gasoline pumps. Within a few
years gasoline pumps of various
types and styles were on the
market.
Tires sold for as little u
$1.50, if they were second
hand; $2 more if new. Automo
biles sold for as little as $400
just thirty years ago. Of courae,
bumpers and spare tires in those
days cost extra.
Naturally, high-priced ears
were on the market in the early
days, but few of tile classic mod
els found their homes in Wa
tauga. Wataugans were, basical
ly, working people. Somehow,
luxury cars just didn't fit the
Watauga scene, yet.
During the summer 'months/
autoists found travel especiaUlk
irritating. Dust was thicker
than mountain butter. Many
was the girl whose Sunday dress
was spoiled on the weekly mo
tor ride to the white steeple.'
And if it wasn't dust that
bothered motorists in the early
days, it was mud (see photo*).'
STATE HIGHWAY GETS MODEL T
Soma of the worst roads In the
state ? and perhaps in the na
tion?were in western North
Carolina at one time.
But the state had not grown
financially or politically to the
point where good roads could
be wilt and maintained.
Through the fault of no one in
particular, the Wataugan wad
ed on through the winter mud
and breathed the dusty air of
a summer day.
Not only were early cars used
with difficulty, but at certain
times of the year they were
not used at all. When winter
came, few (If any) cars were in
use. The roads were bad; the
waa^ier was severe; arid the
travel simply for the
sake of traveling was practical
ly nil.
Most of the care were set up
on blocks, the tires were taken
off and were wraped in paper,
and the battery was placed near
a stove so as to keep it from
freezing and bursting.
Today in thp United States
there are.ntore than 75 million
automobiles, buses, and trucks
registered. In 1830, less than
three million new cars were
sold, as compared with seven
million new cars sold in 1961.
As the mad race for horse
power and fancy seatcovers
continue, a few ?f the older,
more durable cars are still mak
ing their way up and dowa the
narrow concrete canyons of
towns and cities across the na
tion. Watauga, late to open its
area to motor traffic, has few
of the early relics. But their
owners are no less proud of
their "A" models and rumble
seat racers than the most par
ticular Detroit antique auto col
lector.
According to the Boone li
cense bureau, 5,214 automobll
es ire registered in Watauga
County this year. Of these, only
26 are of the pre-World War II
ear, or less than .005 per cent.
According to the local license
bureau records, the oldest car
still In use in the county is a
1029 Ford owned by James
Matheson of Sugar Grove.
Matheaon also owns a 1930
Chevrolet coupe.
h
Seven 1031 autos are listed,
two 1035, 1037, and 1038 cars
are registered, and one 1036,
three 1030's, and eight 1040's
are licensed, the bureau re
cords show. Three are Ply
mouths, twelve are Fords, and
eleven are Chevrolets.
Scattered throughout the
county, from Tamarack to Blow
ing Rock, Deep Gap to Valle
Crucis, the cars are vivid im
mages of the once colorful past
? the days when mud was deep
and cars were strong.
MUD STALLS THE TRAFFIC
HE GOT HIMSELF A HORSE
"IT OUGHTER COME OUT'N"
Fan-Width Frown Food Chest ? Automatic Defrosting
Poll-Out Shelf ? Half Shelf ? Twin Porcelain Crispers
Batter Cheat ? Egg Storage Shelves ? Deluxe Door Shelves
Magnetic Door Closure Gasket ? Lifetime Construction
Color Styling ? Poiarsphere Cold-Making Unit ? 5-Year
Warranty
Summer am) Winter
Spring Jackets ? Straw Hats
Walking Shorts ? Swim Trunks
These are Just a few of the many sale priced items
you'll find during our July Cleanse* Sale.