Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-10-09

OLD NEW MARKET
NEW NEW MARKET
Town Realtor Writes Sketch OF
Towns Advancement

Under the caption, New Market
yesterday and New Market Today. .
Fred W. Moorehead, insurance man
and realtor of that town, writes in
the Harrisonburg News-Record, as
follows:
1T has often been said that New
Market was one town in Virginia that
could enjoy the distinction of being
the ony town in the State that had
not changed since the Civil War, in
TACT her population had decreased.
Everything moved along in a sleepy
Kind OF way-they had a postofice,
several stores, bank, and four
churches. Nobody expected or want
ed anything different Everybody in
the community knew that four miles
south of New Market was beautiful
cavern which was a wonderful place
for Sunday School picnics, but they
didn't realize that people in the out
side world would enjoy these won
ders and beauties of nature.
The village was awakened, how
ever. 1t was announced that Col. E.
/. Brown of Atlanta, Ca, had pur-
chased these caverns and intended
developing and opening them to the
world. This he did in 1920.
I Since this time. the village has
grown more than it did in the pre-
eeeding 100 years. Not only in
material way but the mental attitude
! of most of its inhabitants has been
changed. Five years ago a traveller
could not get a good meal in the
town, outside of private home;
there wasn't even a restaurant. To-
day he can get as good meal as in
any place in the State.
Real estate has trebled during this
period and more property is chang
ing hands in 80 days than in any
fve-year period previous Not only
is real estate active in the town, but
east of the town on the west side
of the Massanutten Mountain, along
the Lee Highway, what was thought
to be worthless mountain land is now
selling for prices that town property
used to bring. This condition also
exists in other directions from town.
About month ago a lot sale was
put on by the Herrell people, who
sub-diyided portion of the Arthur
Bushong farm, and every lot was
sold, bringing what used to be con-
sidered inflated prices. Since this
sale, number of holders of lots
have resold with a profit From a
real estate standpoint it would be
hazardous to say what the possibili-
ties are in and around New Market
The town council has petitioned
the court for an extension of the cor
porate limits.
The people voted on a water and
sewerage bond issue about the mid
die of September, which carried.
The Grand Lodge, Knights of Ply
thias of Virginia, designated New
Market as the place for the Orphans
Home and will take immediate steps
toward completion of what will in
volve more than 100000.
After the ball was started rolling
by Col. Brown, when he did what
was thought to be the impossible in
making the Endless Caverns one of
the wonders of the world, evidently
the progressive citizens of New Mar
ket began to work The self-content-
ed spirit no longer dominated and a
more progressive element have taken
hand of the situation. For such i'm
provements do not come to any COM
munity without the energy and in
teligence of its leaders.
Without a doubt New Market has
developed some of the most progress
siye and far-sighted young men who
are doing more things for their
town than any men in the Valley"