The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-09-27
Bridgewater.
ITS HISTORY, PRESENT ENTERPRISE AND
INDUSTRY AND FUTURE PROSPECTS.
For the VIRGINIAN.1

a mile below the influx of Dry creek, a
enterprising man of wealth built spacior
and neat brick dwelling. Shortly afte
this he set up and carried on at this plac
a store, halter and blacksmith shop. .
year or so later, on the same side of th
river, a short distance below, another ma
of wealth and industry built a large mel
chant mill and a fine brick residence
These buildings were the foundation {
a iourishing Valley town, now so note
for it's beauty and superior manufacturin
] facilities, and was first called BridgepoI
in honor of the old open bridge that a
that time spanned the North river at thi
point. The village continued to go by thi
| appellation until 1928, when it was calle'
Bridgewater, which name it now bears
The founders of this beautiful and thrift,
town, above mentioned, were Jacob ant
John Dinl1le, two of four brothers VIII,
We're among the first of that staunch, hard
working and economical race commonly
known as the Dutch, that settled this part
of the Valley. The third and fourth resi-
dences of the town were built one by John
Craun, ST., of the Hill Country of Judea
and the other by John Thumar, of Beaver
creek, Rockingham county, Va.
In 1888, Bridgewater was only village
consisting of the mill, store. halter and
blacksmith shop, and the frame dwelling
houses already mentioned. At this date
Henry Smalls settled in the village and set
up a shoe shop, which he Las continued to
carry on successfully to this day. He is
the only original settler of the town now
living and is it's oldest inhabitant. Though
he has ever been a hard working man, he
is yet stout and vigorous, the consequence
OF virtue and temperance, and looks as if
he might yet live to see the village of 1883
developed into a city. The Methodists
built the first church of the town in 1884,
which continued to be used as place of
worship until the erection of the new
church in 1866, when the old one was sold
to the corporation for town hall. Be-
tween 1884 and 1910. a number of new
buildings were erected and two stores es-
tablished, one by Jonathan Lamb, of Au-
gusta county, and the other by Allen
Brown. son of the old German Reformed
preacher so noted among our ancestors for
his pulpit oratory. Shortly after this the
town was incorporated. The streets were
then paved and planted with maple trees
which now so eXquisitely set off the place
and shade and beautify. In 1852 and '53
Lutheran and a United Brethren Church
were built, but the latter was shortly after
wards sold to the Baptists and is regularly
used by that denomination for place of
worship. From this time to the breaking
out of the war in 1861 the town gradually
progressed. During the years from 1851
to 1865, that period so noted in American
history for the wasting of blood and prop
erty, and family and national distress,
Bridgewater suffered her portion. She sent
forth all Of her brave boys of the army age
to battle in that unfortunate cause, many
of whom died on the bloody field or far
away from home and loved ones in some
prison, while the town was oppressed at
home by both friend and foe. The end of
hostilities in 1865 found it in dilapidated
condition, its business all but ruined and
its people discouraged and heart broken.
But when the goddess Peace began once
more to smile upon the land, the tri-
uphant spirit of enterprise and progress
again terminated the dormant energies of
Bridgewater and it entered upon a career
that at some day, not far distant, will de-
velop it into city.
AT this time j. w. f. Allemong, so well
known for his energy and business capacity,
began merchandising in the town. He
soon made it the centre of trade for the
surrounding country and awakened such
enterprise that it gradually became centre
of attraction for capital and industry.
After few years he succeeded in organ
izing the Bridgewater Manufacturing Com
pany which built the Wooden factory and
put it in operation. This factory is located
on Water Street at the natural dam, and
has done much towards increasing the
wealth of the town. 1t gives constant en-
ployment to twenty-five or thirty hands
under the foremanship of the skillful John
f. Bradburn, and makes Bridgewater one
Of the best wool markets in the Valley.
This factory cannot be surpassed by any
Virginia mills in the finish and durability
of it's cloth.
About 1873 q carriage shop was estab-
lished by Joseph Click and Peter S. Miller,
son of Bishop Miller near Mt Sidney, Au-
gusta county. Only a small amount of
capital was at first invested and few hands
employed. But after it had been in oper-
alton for few years it became reputed for
its neat and substantial buggies and car
riages. The demand for the work of the
shop had so increased in few years that
the feasibility Of establishing an extensive
carriage factory became apparent. By the
energy of Peter S. Miller the carriage
company representing large amount of
capital was organized. Peter S. Miller
was chosen president Of the company and
j. w. f. Allemong, treasurer. The old
shop was at once developed into a large
carriage factory, which now gives employ
ment the year round to twenty-five hands
under the foremanship of Peter S. Miller,
and turns off one buggy per d5em The
buggy factory is one of the most complete
successes of the town, and stands first
among the factories of the State for it's
neat and substantial work, at the lowest
prices, on the market.
There is another carriage factory of con-
siderable extent carried on by Joseph
Dinkle. a grand scion of the founder. Its
work is also of superior merit. Besides
home manufacture a large stock of the
best and cheapest Western and Northern
buggies are always kept for sale at the
factory.
The town also affords a wagon factory of
no little merit by J. S. Hoover.
About 1877, a furniture store was set up
in the town by Thomas P. Humphreys,
where the cheapest and best Virginia and
Northern work was kept for sale. The
demand for Virginia furniture on account
OF its desirability soon became so great
and the furniture trade at this point so ex-
tensive that Humphreys conceived the
Idea OF home mandatory, and in
1880 built and put into operation on East
Commercial street the Rockingham Fur
niture factory, which gives regular en-