The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-05-28
WADESRORO,
Memories Ofthe Past and Observation.
of the Present,


the indulgence of space in your col
umns to record some memories of years
long gone by, and also some observa-
tons on the brief visit l am at pres
ent making to this place: To me
Wadesboro is presented in strange
contrasts and opposition; and the days
OF very early manhood are, brought
without the toningdown influence of
intermediate visits, most strikingly
lace to face with those of a very decided
old age, with memories still vivid, and
early impressions retaining their early
fresh, hearty and imperishable stroke.
Ii Is somewhat rare, it certainly is in
terestlng, and. in certain aspects graft
tying, to have had such experience as
mine; mournful, it is true, to find a
whole population, with the exception
OF three individuals, | mean, of those
known to me, to have passed away
and read their successive destinies. as.
one by one they were called away, in
scribed on the tablets of the near.lying
cemetery. But it was gratifying to
find the fathers and the mothers re-
peated in the sons and the daughters,
with the perpetuation of those traits
which made the people of Wadesboro
OF the past, so endeared to me: the
same cordiality, the same hospitality,
the same generosity, the same frank
ness which seemed to have set them
apart as a peculiar people. And |
fancy they ecere, in many respects, a
peculiar people; descended from stout
old British stock from the North of
England, retaining names and customs
and warmth Of heart and bluff out
spoken frankness, softened by climate
and ease of fortune and the ameliora-
ting influences of American limitations
and habits
But | do not propose to 90 very far
back into the history of Wadesboro or
Anson county. OF the latter it is
enough to say that it was long ago cut
off from that once mother of counties,
BIaden, with its eastern limits the
same as those of the younger county
Richmond. The old county-seat was
on the Pee Dee river, and was known
as Mount Pleasant. When the new
county was formed-Anson, named
after the famous seaman and diScoverer.
Admiral Lord Arson. Mount Pleas.
ant became the plantation of Col.
Joseph Pickett, and afterwards of his
son Col. Martin J. Pickett; and, in
the absence through the country of saw
mills and lumber, some of the houses
OF the old town were moved up to the
new one, and remained; uatil successive
scourges Of fire have swept most, per.
haps all, OF them away. One of them
was long the dwelling of the well known
Atlas }. Dargan. That was burned
down years ago, and its place is now
occupied by a handsome and substan.
tial Baptist church. Very little of the
old town of Wadesboro remains as il
was. All the centre, including the
whole business parts, with the hotels
has been burned time after time, and
the places of the old frame houses sup
piled with very city-like brick build
lngs; and every original private house
has been SO metamorphosed by the
touch of modern taste-and paint
as to be unrecognizable. Only
that of my venerable old friend Judge
Little -Aleck Little as he is now atiec
ticnately recalled remains as tixeC
landmark and eloquent memorial
Other changes also appear in the ex.
; pansion of town limits and the cree
ton of many handsome new buildings
and what with brick and new STYLES il
; structure, and modern taste, Wades
borO is new town, and it must bt
confessed a prettier one than it was il
the days gone by. But there is ont
thing modern tastes and styles car
neither magnify nor deface, that is the
situation of Wadesb boro. 1t is, in re
: lation to all other towns not in /;
mountain landscape, absolutely unique
Out of the tumbling, rolling plair
which surrounds it sweils bed, o.
mass of hills, rising perhaps on,
hundred and fifty feet above the gen
eral level, sloping sharply away il
every direction, and, from its superioI
elevation, dominating the Landscape OF
all sides, to the extent of thirty o
forty miles. As the eye sweeps aroun'
the horizon, it passes over wild
stretches of forest covered plain, risin;
in the distance until the sky seems I
come down to meet the earth, but witt
sharpness Of outline, and depth 0
. delicacy Of coloring that Nigh
:. bring despair to Claude Lorrain, 0
our own Cole, delicate deliniator {
ideal coloring and harmony of form
! Along the northern horizon rises tha
fringe of mountain tops that give t
= Stanley and Montgomery some clair
: to scenic beauty and grandeur. Fort
} miles away, and seen over the wild
expanse of relative level, they rang
> themselves in imposing battlemen
: and stand out against the sky with a
= the subdued grandeur of the distar
. mountains, robed in the mystery an
enchantment Of their remotenes