The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-09-24
EXPERT INFORMATION ON THIS
ASHE-BEL AIR BUS DISCUSSION

ASHE-BEL AIR BUS DISCUSSION
(Some time ago, 'The State Magazine chad
its attention called to the fact that regular bus
line had been established between West Jeffer-
son and Bel Air, Md. The editor Of 1.-THE State"
called up Major A. L. Fletcher and asked him
why the people in Ashe were so anxious to get
away that they went in such numbers to justify
the running of regular bus to take them. In the
article below, we are quoting from "The State"
in which Major Fletcher answered. In the mean
time, we asked Mr.. Bert Edwards who runs the
pie TO Ashe on the bus than he take away on
the return trip. After all the bus COMES as
well as goes-THE EDITOR).
Some time ago there appeared in the Sky
land Post published in West Jefferson, Ashe
county, copy of small advertisement an
nouncing a regular bus schedule between West
Jefferson and Bel Air. Maryland It was called
to our attention by Major A. L. Fletcher, of the
State Department of Labor When we asked
him the reason behind the advertisement Major
Fletcher admitted that he didn't know
Since then, he has been up in Ashe county
again, and is now able to shed some light on the
mystery. Here it is:
"I am just back from Ashe county and in
quired of various folks including my father
who has been Baptist minister in that terri
tory for 81 years, about the tie-up between Ashe
county and Bel Air.
"It appears that about twenty years ago-or
even before that-certain leading citizens of
Ashe particularly in the Grassy Creek section,
became greatly interested in dairying and the
manufacture of cheese. A cheese factory was set
up at Grassy Greek. They made a fine product
and their other dairy products also were of
high class nature. But they found themselves
unable to profit by it. Too far from markets: no
roads at that time.
"But those folks were sold on the idea of
dairy farming. Several leading citizens began
a search for good farming land close to good
markets They found it in abundance in the vi
cinity of Bel Air, Md. comparatively short
distance, from Washington, Baltimore, Phila-
delphia and other large cities.
"The first Ashe county families moved to Bel
Air many years ago and there has been rather
steady flow of people to that area ever since.
The Ashe county colony in Maryland is now so
large that it pays to maintain regular bus COM
munication between Jefferson and Bel Air.
Conditions are greatly improved in Ashe
county since those first people left there. Good
roads lead everywhere and the Kraft people
have fine cheese factory at West Jefferson.
There is also an excellent market for other
dairy products, but it wasn't so good twenty
years ago, and that is why Ashe lost quite a
number of it's fine citizens.
@But they keep in touch with their native
heath Ashe County people are peculiar that
way. No native of Ashe is ever entirely salts
fled anywhere else on earth, and that is why
those self-exiled Ashe county folks in far-away
Bel Air maintain regular bus service between
the two points.
II believe, however, that dairying has great
future ahead of it in that mountain territory,
and it may be that one of these days those fami-
lies which are now living in Maryland may re-
turn to Ashe and help in building up that splen-
did section of North Carolina which has been
moving forward so rapidly during the last de-
cade or more"