The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1923-01-25
TDo T sons In Beat One
For <nost Among Gr0Umg
LSIn1n1unitieS in the County
Both Located Dixie Highway, Making Country Most
Desirable Dwelling Place. Beat One Only Section in
County With So Many Roads Graveled Rankin
Soon to be One of Leading Counties in State.

Rankin County has many
progressive towns, and fore
most among these are the
towns of Florence and Star,
in Beat No. l. These towns
were built many years ago,
and each year they have
been growing, until they
are now two of the best lit
tie towns in the State.
Beat l is ahead of all the
other beats in the county,
in that nearly all of the
roads in the beat are gravel
ed. The Dixie Highway
runs through both towns,
and practically all of the
road from Star to Jackson
is graveled, and the road
out from Star in the oppo-
site direction is graveled.
This makes the country a
most desirable place to live,
and many outsiders are at
tracted there on that ac-
count.
Florence. which is about twelve
miles from Brandon, is a thriving
little town with a number of good
business houses. There are about
six up to- date general merchandise
stores in the town. These are owned
by \. l.. Dear & Son. Devices Bros,
A. H. Martin, w. L. Berry, Z. III.
Hale and j. +. Singletary. In ad-
dition to these there is Il reliable
drug store owned by W. |. Butler
They also have grist mill, estab-
liShed for the benefit of the farmers.
In the last few years. new
Masonic Hall has been erected. This
is used for all community meetings.
and helps to increase the community
spirit They have two churches, a
Methodist and Baptist Some of
the walks in the town are concrete.
the others are gravel. All of the
streets running through town are
gravel.
One of the three banks of the
county is located at Florence, and
is known as the Citizens Bank. They
made splendid showing last year.
and we refer TO the bank statement
in last weeks paper, which shows
business there.
About three years ago. new
school building was erected, which
is modern in every respect. SO great
has the number of pupils increased
that there is not room for all OF
them in the building, and they are
using another building near the
school tor part of the grades.
Star Promises to be
Much Larger Town.
Star is about eight miles from
Florence. While il is not as big
town as Florence. it is rapidly grow
ing and promises TO be Il larger town
some day. than it is at present.
Like fIOfcnce, III UOdStS oI SoAhe
of the best general merchandise
stores in the county. T.. Nj. Odom
has one of the best stores i'll the
State. and the sales that he puts on
are talked about all over the county
There are other good merchandise
stores there owned by III. S. Garrett,
and Mangum 4 Son, and the Star
Grocery Co. The firm of Miller Y
Morgan owns one of the most up-to-
date repair shops in the state of Mis-
SiSSippi This is Il brick building
which has been built in the last few
years.
Mr. Odom has lately built new
cotton gin in Star, that is equipped
with modern machinery. new
school building has just been COM
pleted that would be a credit to any
town. They also have two churches
in the town.
With the many improvements be-
ing made in the different towns III
the county. it is certain that before
many years, Rankin will be one OF
the leading counties i'll the state.