Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-07
HARRISONBURGT THE HOME OF
PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY

sonburg market have for several years
averaged nearly S25o.OOO per annum.
| X
| OF the public buildings in Harrisonburg
the Rockingham county courthouse, stu
ated in the public square in the center OF
the town, is most prominent. The building
is the handsomest county building in the
state and cost over 100000, 1t is con-
structed of Indiana limestone. The first
floor is fitted up for the offices of the
county officials and the court room. While
| the second floor is used as theater and
convention hall. clock in plain view
| from almost any part of the town sur
mounts the south end of the building. On
the corner of the square and Main street,
| south of the courthouse Is the First Ma
| tional Bank building, seven stories high
| and the most important office building In
| town. 1t completed a year or two ago
at a cost of SltD,0s0. new Masonic tenn
| pie was dedicated a year ago. This Struc-
ture is also centrally located. The Catholic
congregation have broken ground for the
foundation of a new church edifice costing
! about $4,000. Mrs. Thomas +. Ryan. wife
| of the New York traction magnate, has
given the congregation about $4,000 to-
ward the building fund. The Presbyterian
congregation is also preparing to build a
S30.0O church on the north side of the
public square. Several business firms are
contemplating erecting modern houses
within the future. The business sec
ton of the town is rapidly improving and
each year makes change for the better in
appearances. The principal streets have
vitrified pavements.
The residence section is rapidly expand
ing and new plots for this purpose have
been laid off. There has been for several
years a scarcity of building lots and the
demand for locations has resulted In a real
estate boom, not the kind that caused
many failures in this section in the early
nneties, but the natural consequence of a
growing and progressive community. Con-
tracts have been let for many new resi-
dences in the new additions, which all
promise to build up rapidly, making Har-
risonburg attractive point for investors.
both for residence and speculation.
Among the new enterprises which will
begin operation within the next few months
Is the Harrisonburg Ice Companys plant,
which will supply ice for neighboring towns
in the valley The town has several wood
working establishments going full blast to
meet the demands. both local and foreign,
for the product. y pottery, two large flour
ing mills. cement building block manu-
factories are among the industries To-
Gated here. besides the j. p. Houck Tanning
Company. operating the largest plant of
its kind in the valley. The Houck company
YES employment to a hundred or more
men. and recently completed S10C0 ad-
ditOn to their plant. England. Walton &
Company of Philadelphia. who control four
or five tanneIies in the south. own a con-
trolling interest in the Houck company.
Harrisonhurg offers exceptional oppor-
tUnties for business investments, especially
in the manufacturing lire.
AS Il shipping point for cattle. poultry
eggs and produce Harrsonburg stands
among the first in the south Poultry is
shipped out by the ton. both live and dress
ed. for eastern markets. principally Phil
adephia. Eggs go out by carload lots.
Iiarrisonburg is the terminal of the Manas-
sas branch of the Southern railway. 1t is
IA miles from Washington. with two
through passenger trains daily from the
natiOnal capital. The board of trade has
asked the corporation commission to com
pei the railroads to furnish better facilities,
and there IS strong probability of order
to that effect being issued. An effort is also
being made to secure new union passen-
ger station to be used jointly by the South
ern. the Baltimore ard Ohio and the Chesa-
peake Western. The present station int
which Southern and Baltimore and Ohio
trains run was built in 1891, and the growth
of the town since that time has rendered
the present facilities entirely inadequate
The present indications point to ii success
full outcome of the efforts of the citizens to
land the new depot. a movement Is also
on foot to establish a hospital here.
A further indication of the prosperity of
the community is the amount of individual
deposits in the two Harrisonburg banks
with total capital of S22O,OOO. In the
last report to the controller of the treasury
the total deposits exceeded 81 800 900 a con-
siderable increase over previous reports
There are four other banks within a radius !
of eighteen miles. all successful institu-
tons.
Historically the town is famous The
dasEing confederate cavalryman Turner
Ashby was killed near the outskirts of the |
corporate limits. monument now marks i
the spot where he fell Several battles In |
Jackson's valley campaign We're fought in |
the immediate vicinity of Harrisonburg
The oldest building in Harrisonburg is a |
small stone structure, with an underground |
passage leading to spring where the
natives sought refuge from the Indians |
years previous to the revolutionary war.
q. w. L.