Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-07-08
On the Wing.
A Drive through Lincoln and
Moore Counties.

Leaving Richmond, and trav'
, cling still over a turnpike tha
gets worse the further it goes
we were soon at
} PETERSBURG,
in Lincoln county. The village
looks fresh and nice, there be.
ing several new buildings that
present an appearance of com
fort, to say the least. A good
deal of business is done at this
point, surrounded as it is by
fine lands. Its citizens are no.
ted for their hospitality, partic-
ularly to strangers.
From Petersburg we had the
company Of that genial, amia-
BILE and accomplished gentleman,
Major George B. Boyles, of
Fayetteville. Our route lay
over valleys rich and hills rough
and high. but with "Chicken
Jim," the name we gave our
buggy horse, We were carried
safely over them all. The Ma
jor, however, found it conven-
lent to walk nearly all the way
to Oak Hill, six miles, and the
writer occasionally thought
walking very healthful exercise.
Besides, it saved us the trouble
of getting out when it became
necessary to cut limbs out Of
the way and lift our buggy over
logs.
No country in the world has
better natural facilities for max
ing a good turnpike road than
that lying between Petersburg
and Oak Hill, and no country
ever needed it worse. But safe
! ly over the hills and rocks, and
we were at Oak Hill,- situated
Immediately on the ShclbyyilIe
and Fayetteville turnpike. 1t
is a fourishing village, and no.
ted as being the seat Of a fine
male and female academy. 1t
deserves to prosper, and it does
and will. Besides the academy,
which has generally from $50 to
175 pupils, there are several
stores and a Touring mill.
Our next point Of destination
was CHESTNUT RIDGE,
so called from the fact Of its be-
ing located on the ridge divid-
ing the waters of Duck and Elk
rivers. The ridge is very mar
row and high, and valleys very
deep and small. It once con-
tanned several business houses,
but nearly or quite all of them
have closed or removed. Spend
ing apleasant night with Squire
Prosser, we left the next morn
ing for Boonville, a village To-
Gated OH West Mulberry Greek.
The country is broken and
rough. The lands are very fer
tile, however. / saw hills in
cultivation that [ am sure no
wagon had ever been to the top
of them. And yet the corn
growing on them looks splen-
didly. In fact, I was told that
these old flinty hills produce fine
corn, and are the surest to make
a crop. They are so rocky, some
Of them, that you cannot sec
the ground-the rock consist
ing mostly of small flint. This
keeps them from washing, and
no doubt acts as a fertilizer
Boonville is in Moore county.
After a few hours spent
pleasantly, we resumed our
journey, and were soon landed
in the capital of Moore county,
LYNCHBURG.
My first impressions of the
town and people were decidedly
favorable, and the longer | rc-
main with them the stronger
this impression became. 1t is q
neat and fresh looking town,
the houses are all (or generally
nicely painted up, and there arc
some private residences quite
imposing in appearance, and
would do credit to any town,
even city. AT the elegant
house of Walton IIilcs, ESQ.,,
we were treated to a splendid
sample of genuine Lynchburg
hospitality, full and overflow
ing. Lynchburg is improving,
and will, no doubt, be much lar
ger III a few years. 1t NUM-
bers now about 500 inhabitants.
The County Court is about to
erect jail. Work on it, I be-
lieve, has already commenced.
A beautiful square has been
laid off and purchased by the
county for courthouse, which
is soon to be erected.
just above Lynchburg, about