Hometowns2015 by Leslie Long

The High Point Enterprise presents

THE BOOK OF LISTS A of all things High Point

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table of contents high point believe it or not stories

Famous people from High Point

Famous visitors to the city

Quirky sports stories through the years

Famous athletes from high point & thomasville

Famous people from High Point University

Famous, prominent women

Movies filmed here

Notorious crimes through the years

A look at funny typos in the paper over the years

Key moments in High Point Market history

Moments in High Point civil rights history

List of all High Point mayors

List of popular, locally owned restaurants

List of record weather events

High Point’s unique buildings

High Point’s roads and their history

Thomasville’s top attractions, sites

Fun facts about Archdale library

Newspapers that have served High Point over the years

introduction

ach year, The High Point Enterprise publishes “Hometowns.” These special publications examine a central theme here in High Point. In a recent edition named, “High Point, The International City,” we highlighted our diverse community members who came from all over the world to make High Point home.

In “Home is Where the Heart is,” we covered local organizations that help the needy. This year’s Hometowns looks at all things High Point. In our “Book of Lists” we share some of the quirkiest facts and stories about High Point. From notorious crimes to how our roads got their names to some of the biggest goofs ever made in our newspaper, we hope you enjoy learning more about your hometown.

This publication is produced and distributed by The High Point Enterprise 213 Woodbine St. High Point, NC 27260 www.hpenews.com 336-888-3500 Publisher: Rick Bean rbean@hpenews.com Editor: Megan Ward mward@hpenews.com Contributing writers: Jimmy Tomlin jtomlin@hpenews.com Stephanie Butzer sbutzer@hpenews.com Paul Johnson pjohnson@hpenews.com Pat Kimbrough pkimbrough@hpenews.com Natalie Stewart nstewart@hpenews.com Joe Feeney jfeeney@hpenews.com Vince Wheeler vwheeler@hpenews.com Laura Greene lgreene@hpenews.com Mark McKinney mmckinney@hpenews.com Designer: Leslie Long leslielong101@gmail.com

To advertise in future issues of this publication contact any of the following marketing consultants: John McClure, Advertising Director jmcclure@hpenews.com 336-888-3545 Amanda Duncan aduncan@hpenews.com 336-888-3524 Roger Boyd rboyd@hpenews.com 336-888-3597 Jack Moriarity jmoriarity@hpenews.com 336-888-3596 Sandy Southards sksouthards@hpenews.com 336-888-3587 Christian Saunders csaunders@hpenews.com 336-888-3625

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believe it or not! Quirky stories from the past BY JIMMY TOMLIN | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

With all due apologies to the late, great Robert Ripley — the creative entrepreneur behind the “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” empire — we proudly present High Point’s own version of “Believe It or Not!,” an assortment of odd, often amazing, often amusing — and yes, often unbelievable — stories, all involving the greater High Point area and all taken from actual newspaper articles.

And away we go: Great Was His Faithfulness

High Point’s N.E. Allred may have set a world record with his streak of 57 years — nearly 3,000 consecutive Sundays — without missing Sunday school. At one point during the streak, Allred even persuaded a court bailiff to take an entire jury, on which he was serving, to Sunday school when the jury was held over Sunday.

Free At Last! Free At Last!

Grave Consequences

Grave Consequences (photo above)

Do As I Say…

The Spy Who Flubbed Me

Wrong Number

Four local high-school students in 1933 pleaded guilty to disturbing a graveyard after they opened a grave, reportedly to take pictures of the skeletal remains “to further scientific study” for a school club they belonged to. The judge sentenced each of them to spend five consecutive nights alone in the cemetery.

In March 1956, during the height of America’s “Red Scare,” two men In 1942, a High Point jury granted a divorce to an 83-year-old working undercover for the FBI — Charles B. Childs of High Point and man who had been married since 1886 — more than half Odis Reavis of Winston-Salem (and formerly of High Point) — disa century. The man told the court he’d been separated from covered they had been unwittingly spying on each other, with each thinking the other was a Communist. They discovered the truth at a his wife since 1916, but he wanted to go through with the divorce so he could be a “free man” again. House Un-American Activities Committee hearing, where they shook hands and enjoyed a good laugh.

Arsenic and Old Laces?

In 1952, High Point’s Robert Robertson was charged with Must’ve Been A Hot Rod assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly striking a woman The Thomasville Fire Department experienced a case of deja vu with a shoelace. The victim reportedly required two stitches in 1964, when firefighters were called on two consecutive days to to close the wound. extinguish a fire in the front seat of a 1955 car on Randolph Street. A notation on the department’s log for the second call read, “This is the What’s In A Name? same car that was on fire Friday night. Same seat, other side.” High Point College once admitted a young woman from Hillsborough whose parents had either a quirky sense of humor, A Liquor Snicker a strong sense of allegiance to their home state, or both. Deputy Sheriff W.L. Wheless developed quite the reputation for nabHer name was — read this fast — North Carol Liner. She bing local moonshiners. One day in 1940, while Wheless was in some enrolled in 1953, but apparently only stayed for one year. woods near High Point busting up the biggest moonshine still he’d ever found, an unknown poet left this gem on the officer’s windshield: W.L. Wheless is red-headed man, In 1951, a local man named Robert Denny was jailed beHe catch your liquor if he can. cause he owed $9 on bad checks. When a friend paid the $9 He slips through the woods with the ease of a cat, for him, Denny was released just in time to play his role in a He can smell mash if it is buried in a vat. local historical pageant — “Honest Abe” Lincoln. If he goes to heaven and has his will, He will catch St. Peter at a moonshine still.

Honest Bob?

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A High Point Kiwanis Club meeting in 1955 featured a panel of five doctors discussing cancer prevention. Ironically, though, club members couldn’t help but notice that four of the five physicians were smoking cigarettes during the discussion.

Anyone can be plagued by misdialed phone calls, even the mayor. In 1941, High Point Mayor O.A. Kirkman had the misfortune of having a phone number very similar to that of a local taxi company, and he often got calls in the middle of the night from people requesting a cab. “And it does no good at all to inform callers that they have my residence,” Kirkman said. “The other night, I was called out of bed and told to my face, ‘Well, if this isn’t the taxi company, what the hell are you doing up?’”

He’ll Look Good in Stripes

A High Point thief was in for quite a surprise when he stole traveling salesman J.C. Brown’s sample case in February 1933. It turns out Brown was selling convict apparel to state prisons, so the stolen case contained samples of “the latest thing in stripes for boys and men in penal institutions.”

Reading the Fine Print

A blind man from Davidson County made quite an impression on his fellow members of a local coin-collecting club in 1956. Using his fingers, Roby C. Leonard was able to detect the tiny letters showing where coins were minted. And sometimes, it was reported, he even noticed defects in coins that other collectors overlooked.

Channeling Sheriff Andy Taylor

In 1932, local Deputy Sheriff Fred Hendrix told a reporter he didn’t own a revolver, nor did he use one on the job, because they were a nuisance that got in the way. “He has two good fists to use if necessary, he says,” the reporter wrote.

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believe it or not!

Um, Happy Holidays?

An Army soldier from High Point got the scare of his life in December 1951 when he made the mistake of wishing a Russian Army checkpoint guard in Austria a “Merry Christmas.” Red Army guards consequently arrested the soldier, Cpl. Donald Putt, for his un-Marxist greeting and detained him for two hours, until an interpreter explained to them that the greeting was not meant to be offensive. Putt commented that he would never again say “Merry Christmas” to a Communist.

High Point

The Wrong Car

In 1954, a High Point criminal defendant skipped out on his scheduled Superior Court appearance and instead tried to hitch a ride with a passing motorist. Unfortunately for the defendant, the car he flagged down happened to be carrying two people — a police officer and the hitchhiker’s bondswoman.

His Cross To Bear In a 1935 incident that made national headlines, a High Point man staged his own “crucifixion” in an attempt to regain the affections of his estranged wife. Assisted by his teenage son, J.R. Riggs allowed himself to be nailed to a crude wooden cross with tenpenny nails — through his hands and feet — and concocted a story about three men who’d broken into his house and nailed him to the cross. Under police questioning, he admitted to the staged crucifixion, explaining that he had hoped to gain the sympathies of his estranged wife, who had left him about a month before.

they visited BY PAT KIMBROUGH | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

From Jack Dempsey to Bill Clinton, many famous folks have made their way to High Point at one time or another. The usual array of presidential hopefuls have made whistle-stop speeches at the train station and inside furniture factories. But the array of celebrities to set foot in furniture city for one reason or another is diverse and some of the names might be surprising.

Paula Deen Jack Dempsey

Fun fact: The heavyweight boxing champion of the world reconciled with his wife in — of all places — High Point, in 1941. Jack Dempsey and Hannah Williams, a Broadway singer and actress, had been estranged for about a year before she arrived in High Point by train with the couple’s two children and were met by Dempsey, “fresh from the circus ring,” as the Enterprise put it. Dempsey bought the kids two ponies as gifts, and presented them to his daughters at the reunion.

Paula Deen

The Emmy Award-winning television personality and celebrity chef made two visits to the High Point Market — one in April 2011 and the other in April 2013. The latter was to judge a competition by Guilford Technical Community College culinary students. The winning team got a TV spot on Deen’s show. The winner: Deen Red Hot Freedom, a team that built a centerpiece out of fruit and vegetables with an eagle made of watermelon and the word “freedom” out of cantaloupe to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Not-So-Easy Street During the mid-1960s, the residents of Lovers Lane in High Point complained that they were often ridiculed because of their street name. In response, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission renamed the street Clish Avenue (it’s now called Clish Place).

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Mitt Romney

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney came to High Point in August 2012 during the presidential campaign that year when he was the Republican nominee. He made a speech at Absolute Style furniture on W. Green Drive, and was joined by his running mate, Congressman Paul Ryan, as well as Gov. Pat McCrory, who also was a candidate.

George W. Bush

In July 2002, President George W. Bush spoke at High Point University, inside the packed, sweltering Millis Center. The nation was still reeling from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, but Bush’s topic that day was not national security. He was here to make a policy speech on medical malpractice reform, in which he proposed caps

on damages awarded in malpractice lawsuits.

Hillary Clinton

The first time she ran for president, in 2008, the former first lady and U.S. secretary of state made a campaign stop at the High Point Depot while she was a senator from New York. On the eve of the North Carolina primary against then-Sen. Barack Obama, Clinton staged her last campaign rally at the train station. Several hundred people listened to her 30-minute speech from the upper platform of the Depot. Obama made an impromptu stop in Greensboro on the same day. Her visit followed one by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, in March 2008, when he came to High Point University to campaign for his wife.

Oral Roberts

“America’s Leading Soul-Winner,” as famous evangelist Oral Roberts was dubbed on a promotional flier at the time, held a 17-day religious revival in High Point in May 1951. The “city-wide evangelistic campaign for Christ” was sponsored by 21 full gospel churches,” the flier stated. The gatherings were held “under the world’s largest fireproof gospel tent — seats 10,000” on what was then the Blair Showgrounds near present-day Business Interstate 85.

HPU commencement speakers

One of the hallmarks of Nido Qubein’s tenure as president of High Point University has been high-profile guest speakers each year at commencement exercises. They include: Rudy Guiliani, Bill Cosby, Clarence Thomas, Buzz Aldrin, Lance Armstrong, Laura Bush, Steve Wozniak, Colin Powell and Tom Brokaw. Cosby was the speaker in 2007, before he was the subject of a scandal over sexual assault allegations. HPU last year removed Cosby from its board of advisors.

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iii

Famous, prominent and from High Point

From famed singers, songwriters, actors and reality TV stars to influential players in the political realm, High Point has produced a number of famous people.

BY NATALIE STEWART | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

Fantasia Barrino

James Giles

Bob Brown

Fantasia Barrino shot to fame at 19 when she appeared on “American Idol” in 2004, where she went on to defeat Diana DeGarmo to win the show by 1.3 million votes. Barrino’s success followed her after “American Idol,” with the R&B singer-songwriter, actress and author snagging a Grammy Award, three Billboard Awards, three NAACP Image Awards and two ASCAP Awards. She was the first female artist in history to top the Billboard Hot 100 with her first single “I Believe.” Barrino also has appeared on the small screen in “The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairytale” and “Tobacco Valley.” The High Point native was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2014.

James Giles is an internationally renowned concert pianist and recording artist. Giles currently is the director of music performance in graduate studies at Northwestern University, and regularly performs in America, Europe and Asia. Recent performances by Giles include the Nancy Music Festival in France, the Accademia Cristofori in Florence and the Beijing International Music Festival. Giles also has performed with New York’s Jupiter Symphony, the London Soloists Chamber Orchestra in Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Kharkiv Philharmonic in Ukraine and with the Opera Orchestra of New York in Alice Tully Hall.

Robert Brown is the founder and CEO of B&C International, which is a global business management consulting firm headquartered in High Point. Brown also founded the International BookSmart Foundation, a nonprofit that has shipped more than 5 million books and teachers’ supplies to Africa and opened more than 300 libraries. He also worked as the director of information and research for the Young Democrats of New York City during John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign. In 1964, Brown assisted Robert F. Kennedy in his bid for election to the U.S. Senate. In 1968, he served as President Richard Nixon’s special assistant. Brown also was a friend of former South African President Nelson Mandela and helped raise money for the anti-apartheid movement. He attended Mandela’s funeral two years ago.

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Anthony Dean Griffey Opera singer Anthony Dean Griffey has become a regular presence on opera house stages and in concert halls throughout the world with his lyric tenor voice. Griffey is also known for his acting. In 2007, he starred in “The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny” at the Los Angeles Opera alongside Audra McDonald and Patti Lupone. The recording snagged two Grammy awards. Griffey was dubbed one of twelve young singers of distinction in “Musical America” in 2005.

Jessica Jacobs

Ben Best

Screenwriter and actor Ben Best is the co-creator and co-writer of the HBO television series “Eastbound & Down.” Best also co-wrote “The Foot Fist Way,” in which he also acted as a washed-up martial arts movie star in 2006, and “Your Highness.” Best also had appearances in “Superbad,” “What Happens in Vegas,” “Observe and Report” and “Eastbound & Down.”

Jessica Jacobs was crowned Miss North Carolina in 2007. She was the fourth runner-up for Miss America 2008.

A d P t N N F a a

James P. Cain

James “Jim” Cain, a member of the North Carolina Republican Party, is a former United States ambassador to Denmark, a post he held from July 2005 to January 2009. President George W. Bush appointed Cain on June 30, 2005. During his tenure, Cain oversaw 13 agencies of the government that comprised a 150-person U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen. He focused on areas of national securities, counter-terrorism, alternative energy and energy security, commerce and investment and promotion of shared values. He also served a stint as president and chief operating officer of the Carolina Hurricanes NHL hockey team.

Capus Waynick

Dave Phillips was sworn in as the U.S. Ambassador to Estonia in April 2007 by then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during President George W. Bush’s administration. Before his ambassador appointment, Phillips served as secretary of commerce, chairman of the Economic Development Board and was a member of the Board of the Department of Transportation in North Carolina.

Adrian McDonnell

Adrian McDonnell is the conductor and music director of Orchestre de la Cite Internationale in Paris. At 19, McDonnell was selected in competition for the position of apprentice conductor for North Carolina where he studied conducting at the New England Conservatory in Boston and later in France. At 22, McDonnell was appointed as first assistant chief of the Greensboro Opera Company and the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra.

Jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane was born in Hamlet but moved to High Point shortly after birth, where he remained through high school. The saxophone player was considered an innovator in jazz circles, and led at least 50 recording sessions during his career. He also debuted on albums with other musicians, including Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. His genres included avant-garde jazz, hard bop, post-bop, modal jazz and free jazz. Coltrane died in 1976 at age 40.

James H. Burnley IV

James H. Burnley IV served as the United States Secretary of Transportation from 1987 to 1989 during President Ronald Reagan’s administration. Burnley also served as the senior domestic policy adviser on Elizabeth Dole’s presidential campaign and senior adviser to Robert Dole during his 1996 bid for the White House. He also served on the transportation transition team for President George W. Bush and advised Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign on transportation issues. Burnley currently is a partner at Venable LLP, a law firm in Washington, D.C.

Sammie Chess

Dave Phillips

John Coltrane

Capus Waynick, former editor of the High Point Enterprise, was appointed to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua and then Colombia by President Harry Truman. Before his appointment, Waynick was also elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives and the North Carolina Senate. He also served as the adjutant general of the North Carolina National Guard under then-Gov. Luther Hodges.

Civil Rights attorney Sammie Chess was the first black Superior Court judge in North Carolina. He was appointed in during the 20th century. In April, the N.C. Bar Association honored Chess with its Liberty Bell Award, which is presented to individuals who strengthened the American system of freedom under law. He opened his law practice in 1958, and made history in 1971 when appointed to the Superior Court by then-Gov. Bob Scott.

Elizabeth Carty

Elizabeth Carty, Austin Carty’s sister, is a beauty pageant queen who competed in Miss Teen USA in 2004 and Miss United States Teen in 2005. Carty won the 2005 Miss North Carolina United States teen pageant followed by the title of Miss United States Teen.

Austin Carty

Austin Carty appeared on the CBS reality TV show “Survivor: Panama Exile Island,” which aired in 2006. He was the eighth person voted off of the show. Carty was born and raised in High Point. He currently lives in Corbin Kentucky where he’s the senior pastor at First Baptist Church. He’s also penned a book, “High Points and Lows: Life, Faith and Figuring It All Out,” and blogs for The Huffington Post.

Maxwell Thurman

U.S. Army Gen. Maxwell Thurman was the vice chief of staff for the U.S. Army and former commander of the Army Training and Doctrine Command. Thurman is known for coining the Army’s recruiting slogan, “Be All You Can Be,” which is still used today, while he commanded the Army Recruiting Command in 1979. He’s also known for Operation Just Cause, the 1989 invasion of Panama. Thurman was hand-picked by President George H.W. Bush to be commander-in-chief for the U.S. Southern Command, in which he planned and executed the invasion.

Perley A. Thomas Perley A. Thomas was a 20th-century High Point-based wooden and steel streetcar builder, which build wooden and electric overhead-trolley powered streetcars used throughout the country during the first half of the 20th century. Today, known as Thomas Built Buses, Inc., the company is one of three principal builders of school buses in the United States. Thomas, who died in 1958, is in the North Carolina Hall of Fame.

Elizabeth Horton

Elizabeth Horton was crowned Miss North Carolina in 2006. During her reign as queen Horton devoted her time to working with the Autism Association of America to promote Autism Awareness. She also represented North Carolina in 2006 at the Miss America Scholarship pageant. Horton is not a meteorologist for WTVD-TV in Raleigh.

Hannah Kiefer

High Point native Hannah Kiefer was crowned Miss Virginia in 2007 and went on to claim third runner-up in Miss America 2008. Kiefer currently lives in Charlotte where she is the executive assistant to the president at Sealed Air Diversey Care.

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Sometimes the sports world gives us stories that transcend mere box scores, and greater High Point has its share of such stories … believe it or not! Here’s a sampling of some of the area’s hard-to-believe sports tales:

Believe it or not: Fun, fascinating local sports stories BY JIMMY TOMLIN | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

A Beanball for the Ages Beanballs happen from time to time on the baseball field, but you don’t expect the victim to be a beauty queen. On April 22, 1965 — opening night for the hometown Hi-Toms — Thomasville Mayor Tom Johnson threw out the ceremonial first pitch but missed the target, hitting the reigning Miss North Carolina, Thomasville’s Sharon Finch, squarely on her chin as she was being interviewed by a local TV reporter. Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News mocked the incident in their year-end reviews.

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Let There Be Lights High Point University no longer has a football program, but when there was a team, it had the distinction of playing in North Carolina’s first nighttime football game, which took place on Sept. 20, 1930. Playing under the lights at N.C. State’s Riddick Stadium in Raleigh, High Point College (as it was known back then) lost to the Wolfpack 37-0.

Historic Blowout High Point College had a decidedly better outcome in a home football game played on Sept. 29, 1949, when the Panthers defeated a Pope Field Army team, 107-0. That game was also significant in that it may have been the first incident of African-Americans participating in an integrated athletic event in North Carolina. Two black members of the Pope Field Army team played in the second half, despite being showered with boos and threats from the crowd.

A League of Her Own How many women do you think owned baseball teams during the 1920s? At least one. Annabelle Willis Sensenbach owned High Point’s club in the old Piedmont Baseball Association, and she was successful. In 1928, under her ownership, the team finished second for the first time in club history, made money and was considered a legitimate pennant contender.

Foul Play On Jan. 24, 1948, the men’s basketball team at High Point College set a dubious national record by committing 45 personal fouls in its game against Atlantic Christian College. The previous night, the team committed 38 fouls against N.C. State, giving the Panthers a two-game total of 83 fouls.

There He Goes Again In 1999, East Davidson High School shortstop Neil Thompson homered in nine consecutive games, tying a national record and earning himself a mention in Sports Illustrated. He finished the season with 14 homers — including six in the playoffs — in leading the Golden Eagles to a state championship.

Pair of Aces Two High Point golfers made national news for holes-in-one they made in 1959, according to Golf Digest magazine. Tom Sullivan had the nation’s longest hole-in-one that year, a 333-yarder, and 18-year-old William Mills had the distinction of recording a hole-in-one the first time he ever played a regulation course.

The Devil Made Him Do It In an unusual bit of irony, a former Thomasville preacher is credited with giving the Duke Blue Devils their now-famous devilish nickname. The Rev. R. Dwight Ware, a Methodist clergyman who pastored a Thomasville church during the 1930s, first suggested the nickname in 1921, when he was editor of the campus newspaper at what was then Trinity College. He wrote an editorial asking

sports stories iv

cover boy Speaking of the Hi-Toms and Sports Illustrated, baseball Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews — whose professional career began with the Hi-Toms — graced the cover of the inaugural issue of the famed magazine, which was published on Aug. 16, 1954.

students to suggest a nickname for the school’s recently revived football team, but when he didn’t care for any of their ideas, he proposed his own — the Blue Devils, named for France’s famous fighting legion. He abandoned the campaign when a few professors frowned on his idea, but his successor resurrected the idea the next year, and the student body adopted Blue Devils as the team’s nickname.

A Homer for the Aged … Er, Ages Baseball Hall of Famer — and High Point native — Luke Appling earned the dubious nickname “Old Aches and Pains” for his frequent complaints to his Chicago White Sox teammates about his many minor ailments. At age 75, though, Appling amazingly turned back time on July 18, 1982, when he defied age — and whatever ailments he had at the time — and hit a home run in the inaugural Old-Timers’ All-Star Classic. He enjoyed a standing ovation as he slowly shuffled around the bases. Even Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn, who gave up the homer, applauded Appling’s unexpected feat.

‘I Am Woman, See Me Score’ On Jan. 27, 1945, Collier’s Weekly proclaimed High Point College student Nancy Isenhour to be the nation’s first female to play on a men’s college basketball team. Men’s head coach Virgil Yow, faced with a manpower shortage caused by World War II, recruited the petite Isenhour — a gritty player with a consistent shot, who also happened to be the school’s May Queen — to play for his Panthers.

Pitch Perfect 2 Emma Comer, a softball pitcher for Central Davidson High School, pitched a rare perfect doubleheader — back-to-back perfect games on the same day — on April 24, 2008. Several high-school pitchers had pitched consecutive perfect games, but she was the first to do it in a doubleheader.

‘Not So Fast, Son’

And finally, what would a sports round-up story be without at least one tale from NASCAR legend Richard Petty, of nearby Randleman? On June 14, 1959, Petty took the checkered flag at Atlanta’s Lakewood Speedway and headed to Victory Lane with what he thought was his first career win. But wait! The second-place finisher — who drove another lap after Petty finished — protested that Petty had finished a lap too soon. After a review, the sanctioning body agreed and stripped the trophy from Petty, then awarded it to the second-place finisher, who just happened to be … Petty’s own father, veteran racer Lee Petty. Years later, the elder Petty said, “I would have protested even if it was my mother.”

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famous athletes from High Point ENTERPRISE STAFF

From the Olympic Games to the NFL, High Point has seen a host of athletes make it to the big stage over the years. Here’s a list of some notable athletes from High Point: HEATHER RICHARDSON

JOHNNY EVANS

The 2007 High Point Central graduate is a two-time Winter Olympian as a speedskater. She has won two overall World Cup speedskating championships and seven medals at the World Championships (two gold, two silver, three bronze).

The 1974 T.W. Andrews graduate starred in football as a quarterback and punter at N.C. State and also punted in the NFL and CFL. A Guilford County and T.W. Andrews Sports Hall of Famer.

DREW WEAVER

The 1975 T.W. Andrews graduate who was an All-American running back at N.C. State and starred in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. A member of the College Football, T.W. Andrews and Guilford County Sports Halls of Fame.

The 2005 High Point Central graduate won the 2007 British Amateur golf championship. Also owns three career eGolf pro tour wins and one PGA Tour Canada event victory. Has played in the British Open, Masters and U.S. Open.

TED BROWN

HARRY WILLIAMSON The 1931 High Point High School graduate starred at the University of North Carolina in track and field, qualified for the 800-meter finals at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics and was inducted into the North Carolina and High Point Central Sports Halls of Fame.

SAMMY JOHNSON The 1970 High Point Central graduate starred in football at the University of North Carolina, where he posted a 1,000-yard rushing season. Played in the NFL and is a member of the Guilford County and High Point Central Sports Halls of Fame.

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12 |the book of lists

dams Inn

The 1972 High Point Central graduate starred in baseball at High Point College, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and is a member of the High Point University, Guilford County and High Point Central Sports Halls of Fame. Still holds HPU records for batting average in a season, RBIs in a season, RBIs in a career.

NFL. Currently a defensive back with the New York Jets.

EDDIE POPE 1993 Southwest Guilford graduate who starred in football and soccer in high school. An All-American in soccer at the University of North Carolina who starred in the MLS and played for many years on the U.S. National Team. Played in one Olympics and a member of the National Soccer and Guilford County Sports Halls of Fame.

BRIAN WILLIAMS 1998 Southwest Guilford graduate who starred in football at N.C. State and as a defensive back with several NFL teams.

STEFON ADAMS 1981 Southwest Guilford graduate starred in football at East Carolina and played for three NFL teams.

ADRIAN WILSON

1998 T.W. Andrews graduate starred in football as a safety at N.C. State and with three teams in the NFL, most notably the Arizona Cardinals. A fourtime NFL Pro Bowler and multiple All-Pro who played in one Super Bowl. A member of the Guilford County and T.W. Andrews Sports Halls of Fame. MARCUS GILCHRIST 2006 T.W. Andrews graduate starred in football at Clemson and with two teams in the

SHERRILL KESTER DEMPSEY 1996 Westchester Country Day School graduate was a soccer All-American at Duke University and played professionally with the WUSA’s San Diego Spirit.

CHRISTY HEDGPETH 1990 Westchester Country Day School graduate starred in basketball at Stanford, where she helped Cardinal win a national championship. Also played professionally with the ABL’s Seattle Reign.

WIL MYERS 2009 Wesleyan Christian Academy graduate starred in baseball. Earned MLB rookie of the year honors with the Tampa Bay Rays and currently plays for the San Diego Padres

famous athletes CONNER SCARBOROUGH

TUBBY SMITH

ROGER WATSON

NICK BARBOUR

2009 High Point Christian Academy graduate who starred in baseball and went to play professionally in the minor leagues.

HPU men’s basketball legend who has served as a head coach at several schools. Coached Kentucky to the national championship in 1998. Currently head coach at Texas Tech.

All-American golfer at HPU, member of NAIA Hall of Fame. Won two PGA National Club Professional championships.

Leading men’s basketball scorer for HPU in the Division I era with 2,121 points. First-team all-conference as a senior.

DICK CULLER

MARIA LUBRANO 2007 Wesleyan Christian Academy graduate won two state soccer titles and played on three national championship teams at North Carolina. DAVID PERRY 1995 Wesleyan Christian Academy graduate who won four straight state soccer titles before going on to play at the U.S. Naval Academy and have a distinguished military career.

High Point University legend played baseball, basketball and soccer. Played Major League Baseball with five different teams between 1936 and ‘49.

GENE LITTLES High Point University’s alltime leading scorer in men’s basketball with 2,398 points. Also played six seasons in the ABA and coached four seasons in the NBA.

NANCY ISENHOUR

JERRY STEELE Winningest coach in HPU men’s basketball history, going 456-411 over 31 seasons. Member of the Guilford County and High Point University Sports Halls of Fame.

KAREN CURTIS HPU women’s basketball legend holds school records for scoring (2,612 points) and assists (645).

CODY ALLEN

Star pitcher for High Point University who became second Panther in school history to make it to the big leagues when he was called up by the Cleveland Indians in 2012.

High Point College athlete became first woman to play on a men’s varsity basketball team, in 1944.

GEORGE NOSTRAND Played basketball for HPU from 1941-44 and appeared in the first NBA game ever played in 1946. Remains only Purple Panther player to reach the NBA.

SHAWN SLOAN First High Point University soccer player to play Major League Soccer when he made the roster of the Columbus Crew in 2014. Was all-conference all four years at HPU.

VIRGIL YOW Posted the best winning percentage as a men’s basketball coach at HPU (323197 over 21 seasons). Also coached baseball at HPU for 12 seasons.

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famous athletes

from thomasville

BY ZACH KEPLEY | THE THOMASVILLE TIMES For many decades, athletes in the Chair City have left an impression on the surrounding communities. Few, however, have had their success translate into professional playing careers. Below is just a handful of athletes with ties to Thomasville who have been lucky enough to make it to the biggest level of their sport.

Hidden talent A Major League Baseball pitcher, Johnny Allen was born in 1904 in Lenoir, but spent some of his life in Thomasville living at the Thomasville Baptist Orphanage, where he learned the game. While in town he attended Thomasville High School. He would later move to Sanford, where by chance he met a scout for the Yankees while working at a hotel. Allen was given a tryout and landed a roster spot in the minor leagues. He made his MLB debut in 1932, posting a 17-4 record that season playing alongside baseball legends Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Allen would wind up pitching for five different clubs during his career that lasted to 1944. In 1959, Allen died at the age of 54.

The Blade Nicknamed “The Blade” for his slender body, Tom Hall is best known for his pitching as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. A part of the “Big Red Machine” as the Reds were called during a stretch in the 1970s, when they were dominant in the National League, Hall racked up a record of 21-7 and had 17 saves. Born in Thomasville but attending high school in California, Hall additionally pitched for the Twins, Mets and Royals.

A cat for life For 10 seasons, the name “Hoo-ver” echoed throughout Bank of America Stadium. The man behind the name is Brad Hoover, an NFL

Wil-power

fullback for the Carolina Panthers. Hoover got his start in football at Ledford High School, leading the state with 2,662 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior. From Wallburg to Cullowhee, Hoover continued his career with the Western Carolina Catamounts. Undrafted, Hoover wound up signing as a free agent with the Panthers in 2000. After a decade with the team, he was released in 2010. He currently serves as a high school football coach at Cannon School in Concord. Their mascot? A cougar.

Unscheduled pit-stops The stock car world was introduced to Thomasville thanks to NASCAR driver Brian Vickers. Originally from the Chair City, Vickers graduated from nearby Trinity High School. His racing career began to flourish in 2003 when Hendrick Motorsports signed him. Running a full Busch Series schedule, the young man won the championship. He also got his first Winston Cup start that same season in Charlotte. His first win at the Cup level came in 2006 at Talladega. In 2010, blood clots forced Vickers to take a break from the sport. He would return, finding Victory Lane for the final time in 2013 at Loudon. His plan was to run a full schedule in 2015, but additional health problems have kept him off the track once again. Vickers has remained in the sport by being a NASCAR analyst for NBC.

Drafted in 2009, it took Wil Myers until 2013 to break into Major League Baseball. Upon his arrival, the Wesleyan Christian Academy graduate made the most of his first season in the show with the Tampa Bay Rays. After hitting a grand slam for his first career home run, Myers went on to win AL Rookie of the Year honors. He totaled 53 RBIs in 88 games and had 13 home runs to go with a .293 batting average. Injuries have limited Myers’ time on the diamond since. He suffered a stress fracture in his wrist in May of 2014, then was traded to the San Diego Padres in December. He started in the outfield for the Padres at the beginning of the 2015 season, but once again suffered a wrist injury that put him back on the disabled list.

14 |the book of lists

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Famous people

High Point University has produced some well-known names in the past 90 years since its founding.

who attended High Point University BY STEPHANIE BUTZER | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

JACK LUCAS

NIDO QUBEIN

Jack Lucas become a U.S. Marine and received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in World War II at Iwo Jima, which included trying to muffle the blast of a grenade and pulling a grenade under himself to save other Marines. He is the youngest Marine to ever receive the military decoration. He attended High Point College after the war. Lucas died in 2008 of leukemia.

HPU graduate Nido Qubein is an author, businessman and motivational speaker who is well-known throughout the United States. He is the university’s current president. He was named one of the top 10 communicators in 2006 by Decker Communications, a communications consulting and training firm, joining Barack Obama and Angelina Jolie on the list. He is the seventh president of the school.

COREY LAW

An American country singer and songwriter, Donna Fargo is known for her 1970s hits including “The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA” and “Funny Face.” She won a Grammy Award in 1973 as the best female country vocal performance for “The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA.” She attended High Point College and graduated from the University of Southern California.

Currently a basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters, Law graduated from HPU in 2013. He played basketball all four years at school and was well-known for his gravity-defying dunks. His senior year, he competed in the 2013 Slam Dunk Championships that aired on ESPN. After joining the Globetrotters, he went on to smash two Guinness World Records — one for the longest basketball shot and another for the longest backwards basketball shot.

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SUSAN LASALLA Susan LaSalla is well-known for her 42-year career in television news, which she finished as a senior producer of NBC’s “Today” show.

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She received HPU’s 2011 Alumnus of the Year Award. A graduate from the HPU class of 1965, LaSalla won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2007 and a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 2010.

AUSTIN AND TY DILLON These brothers, both HPU graduates, have excelled in car racing. Austin won Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2010, the Truck Series championship in 2011, and the Nationwide Series Championship in 2013. Ty finished second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2013 and was named the series’ most popular driver at the awards banquet.

GENE LITTLES

Littles started his career in basketball at High Point College and after his graduation in 1969, he made it into the fifth round of that year’s NBA Draft. He played for several teams, including the New York Knicks, Dallas Chaparrals, Carolina Cougars and the Kentucky Colonels. He later got into coaching. He remains HPU’s all-time leading scorer with 2,398 career points.

CHRIS HENSON Chris Henson was honored as Alumnus of the Year at HPU’s 2015 Alumni Awards Banquet Oct. 9 of this year. A 1983 graduate, he started his banking career a few years after graduation and entered BB&T’s Management Development program. He was named chief financial officer in July 2005 and is currently the chief operating officer of BB&T.

TUBBY SMITH

A 1973 High Point College graduate, Orlando Henry “Tubby” Smith is known for coaching basketball at the University of Tulsa, University of Georgia and University of Kentucky. He currently coaches at Texas Tech University. He has been a coach for 23 seasons and 18 of those has had at least 20 victories. He played the sport himself in college and was an all-conference performer his senior year.

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vii Throughout High Point’s history, there have been women who have solidified their place in history, from the first female police officer to the first woman to hold the city’s top post at a time when mostly men held such positions. Here are some of them.

Prominent women of high point

BY NATALIE STEWART | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

Carolyn Sue Cooke, also known as Susie Bean, started her career as a deputy clerk for the judge and then joined the High Point Police Department as a secretary. In 1966, Cooke designed the police department’s shoulder patch that officers currently don on their uniforms. Cooke took the oath of office in 1970 to become a sworn police officer. She later became the department’s first female lieutenant.

ment For Every Occasio An ArrangeSince n 1927

Carolyn Sue Cooke Jane Moxley Jane Moxley was unanimously elected by the High Point City Council in July 1928 as “girls’ commissioner” and policewoman. She started with a salary of $135 per month. Her length of service with the police department is unknown.

Louise Tomlin Louise Tomlin ingrained herself in High Point history in October 1954 when she became the first woman to take the oath of office with the High Point Police Department. Tomlin began her career as a “meter maid” writing parking tickets. In 1978 she was awarded the N.C. Law Enforcement Women’s Association Officer of the Year Award, and in 1979 promoted to the rank of police officer. In her role she was the youth investigations officer and taxicab inspector. She retired in 1981 after 28 years of service. Prior to Tomlin joining the force, the only women who worked at the department were switchboard operators. She worked with the police department for 28 years.

Louise Thaden Iris Louise McPhetridge Thaden was an aviation pioneer who lived in High Point who held numerous aviation records, and was the first woman to win the Bendix trophy. Thaden earned her pilot’s cer-

16 |the book of lists

tificate in 1928 in Ohio, becoming the state’s first licensed female pilot. In 1929, Thaden became the first pilot to hold the women’s altitude, endurance and speed records in light planes simultaneously. She set the women’s altitude record in December 1928. In March 1929, she set the women’s endurance record with a 22-hour, 3-minute, 12-second flight. In 1936, Thaden won the Bendix Trophy race in 1936, the first year women were allowed to compete against men. She set a new world record of 14 hours and 55 minutes from New York City to Los Angeles in her Beech C17R Staggerwing biplane. She died in High Point in 1979 at the age of 73 of a heart attack.

Lois Welborn Lois Welborn became the High Point city manager in 1927. She was named city manager at a time when mostly men held such positions.

Bernita Sims Bernita Sims was elected High Point mayor in November 2012 with 33 percent of the vote as the city’s first black mayor.

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High Point and the surrounding area have been featured on the big screen several times. Here are a few movies filmed here:

viii

on the big screen movies filmed in High Point, triad BY NATALIE STEWART | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

Cabin Fever The 2002 comedy-horror film “Cabin Fever” was filmed at several locations in California and in the Triad, including High Point, Mocksville and Winston-Salem. The movie is centered around five college graduates who rent an isolated cabin in the woods. The graduates, played by Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, James DeBello, Cerina Vincent and Joey Kern, fall victim to a flesh-eating virus attracting the attention of homicidal locals.

Critical Condition

hospital as a major storm barrels down on the city. The movie was filmed at High Point Regional.

House of Cards The 1993 drama stars Kathleen Turner, Tommy Lee Jones, Asha Menina and Shiloh Strong. The movie is centered around Turner’s character, Ruth Matthews, whose husband is killed after falling during an archaeological dig, and Menina’s character, Sally’s, bizarre response to her father’s death.

Elephant Sighs

The 1987 comedy, “Critical Condition,” starring Richard Pryor, centers around Pryor’s character, Kevin Lennihan, who is a con man framed in a jewel smuggling heist trying to cop an insanity plea. When Pryor’s character is sent to a hospital for review, he’s confused for another doctor and takes over the

The 2012 comedy starring Edward Asner, John Cariani, Mark Fite, Jack Kehler and David Wells was filmed solely in High Point. In the movie, Cariani’s character moves to a small, rural, uptight town where he is invited by a new acquaintance to join a group of

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townsmen in a ramshackle room on the edge of town. Cariani’s character becomes the replacement for a former member who recently died and becomes swept up in the strange lives of the men.

Doomsday Man The drama, released in 2000, stars Esai Morales, James Marshall, Yancy Butler and Renee Allman. The movie centers around a doctor who, out of anger and guilt, infects himself with a deadly virus after it kills his wife while he’s researching it. After infecting himself with the virus, he threatens the world.

Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth The 1992 horror movie stars Kevin Bernhardt, Lawrence Mortorff, Terry Farrell and Ken Carpenter. In the movie, an investigative reporter is tasked with sending a newly unbound Pinhead and his legions back to hell.

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Every community has its share of crime, and High Point is no exception. Throughout the years, there have been sensational crimes that captured national attention and others that remain etched in local lore.

Crime and notoriety

BY JOE FEENEY | ENTERPRISE CITY EDITOR

Murder in Emerywood

In 1987, local furniture executive Rob Coulthard seemed to have it all — a lovely wife, two young children, and a beautiful home in High Point’s upscale Emerywood neighborhood. That started to change in December when his wife, Sandy, a former debutante known for her kindness, upbeat nature and contagious laugh, began experiencing flu-like symptoms. After suffering for six months from what doctors initially thought was a spinal virus, she died on July 9, 1988. But after an autopsy revealed high levels of arsenic in her body, police quickly developed a case against her 30-year-old husband, believing he laced Sandy’s food with the poison on numerous occasions. He apparently administered the final dose in an ice chip while his wife was in the hospital. Prosecutors cited an extramarital affair and financial problems as motives, and Coulthard wound up pleading guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

The $6 million con

Howard Zerkle was a local real estate broker known for his philanthropy and devout church membership. Active in the community, he frequently gave to his church and various local charities. Problem is, the money was stolen. A former High Point Businessman of the Year who also was named the state’s Businessman of the Year in 2001, the slick con artist was found to be operating a Ponzi scheme that took in an estimated $6 million from 2002 to 2005. According to the FBI, Zerkle, who lived off Old Mill Road, used his status in the community to gain the trust of investors, who were promised huge returns on exotic-sounding investments that inevitably were too good to be true. In fact, they were completely false. The “profits” being paid out actually came from money from newer investors, in typical Ponzi fashion. In all, about 130 investors from the Triad and beyond were defrauded. Caught in an FBI undercover investigation, Zerkle was sentenced to five years and nine months in federal prison in 2007.

Heinous unsolved killing

On March 9, 1951, the body of 45-year-old Mary Mangum Hopkins was found in an old, abandoned house off S. Elm Street (then known as Willowbrook Street) in High Point. The body was nude, with a silk stocking and cloth belt wrapped around her throat, the belt so tight that it dislocated her neck. A 27inch long, 1-and-a-half-inch-wide piece of wood was inserted into her genital area with such force that it went through her liver and punctured her lower left lung. The Durham woman was last seen alive in High Point the previous January, when she was hired as a domestic helper by a local woman. While a few suspects were questioned, including the victim’s husband, no arrests were made. Five years later, authorities suspected an Asheboro gas station worker who had confessed to a similar murder in Asheboro, but were unable to bring charges. Police also suspected one of the initial suspects who was questioned, who reportedly failed a lie detector test and whose wife told police that he had in the past taken her to abandoned houses to have sex with her and beat her. Again, no charges were brought, and the killing remains unsolved to this day.

Baby abduction Davidson County resident Renee McClure gave birth to her son, Jason Ray, at High Point Regional on June 18, 1988. While recovering in her hospital room two days later, a nurse approached her and asked to weigh the infant. McClure handed over her son. When the baby wasn’t returned, panic ensued, sparking a story that quickly caught national attention. The tearful mother soon appeared on television screens and newspapers across the country, appealing for the return of her baby. It turns out the nurse was a kidnapper in disguise, and police developed a composite sketch of the suspect, who was captured two days later following a tip. Brenda Joyce Nobles, 37, of High Point, was charged with felony child abduction and her daughter, Sherry Wishon Slaydon, 19, also of High Point, was charged as an accessory. The baby had been found unharmed in a closet in a home off Eastchester Drive. The baby’s hair had been cut, and at the scene, police found a birth certificate with the baby’s original name obscured by whiteout and replaced with a false name. Nobles tried to mount an insanity defense, but was found guilty of felony child abduction and sentenced to 12 years. The incident is credited with spurring improved security at hospitals throughout the world.

Who killed Officer Kemp?

Rookie Thomasville police Officer George Arnold Kemp was on patrol in the early morning hours of Dec. 7, 1942. When he failed to show up to relieve a fellow officer on the night desk at 5 a.m., a citywide search began. He was last seen around 4 a.m. near the First National Bank on Salem Street, telling a fellow patrol officer that he was going to an all-night cafe. Around mid-afternoon, 10 hours into the search, Kemp’s body was found at the bottom of an elevator shaft in the First National Bank building. He appeared to have been

18 |the book of lists

struck on the head with a blunt object. His wife told investigators that a couple of nights before, her husband appeared very worried and began to tell her what was bothering him. Swearing her to secrecy, he said a couple of nights before he “walked in on a very prominent crowd of Thomasville men …” But that’s as far as he got with the story. He stopped talking when their children walked into the room. Investigators and historians have theorized that Kemp may have witnessed a group of prominent residents engaged in sordid or illegal activity and was killed to prevent him from talking. But the killing remains a mystery to this day.

Shooting rampage Twenty-four-year-old Michael Hayes believed he was on a mission from God to kill demons. On July 17, 1988, he opened fire at the intersection of Old Salisbury Road and Friedberg Church Road near the Davidson-Forsyth county line. He was roaming around a two-block area in the vicinity of Edward’s Moped Sales, shooting randomly at cars. When he was finished, four people were dead and five others wounded. Nearby resident Stanley Parks, who lived across the road from the moped shop, said Hayes ran up his driveway and banged on the door, shouting “Come on out, I’m going to get you!” Other witnesses reported hearing Hayes laughing between shots during the 12-minute rampage. When police arrived at the scene, Hayes fired on them. Officers returned fire and struck Hayes, who was then apprehended. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1989 and was released with conditions from Dorothea Dix state psychiatric hospital in Raleigh in May 2010, 20 years later, and moved to Wake County.

‘Public enemy No. 1’

Bank robber. Safecracker. Kidnapper. Gang leader. Murderer. Bill Payne, perhaps the most notorious criminal to herald from High Point, was described as all these things by authorities and the media during the 1920s and 1930s. Born in Forsyth County in 1896 but raised in High Point, by the time he was 40, he had been connected to numerous robberies and bank heists, operating with the help of other criminals who became known as “The Payne Gang.” He was in and out of prison and had escaped and been recaptured five times when, in 1937, he masterminded a daring escape that made national headlines and sparked a yearlong manhunt. During that time, Payne continued to commit crimes on the run as he crossed the state and Southeast with fellow escapee Wash Turner. In August 1937, an alert state trooper recognized the fugitives near Asheville, sparking a car chase that ended in a gunbattle in which the 22-year-old trooper was killed. That landed Payne on FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s public enemy list. The feds got a break in January 1938 when they got a tip from a known Payne associate that led them to the town of Sanford. The were spotted in a parked car and quickly surrounded by agents, who arrested them without incident. Payne received the death penalty and was sent to the gas chamber on July 1, 1938.

On March 22, 1978, Randolph County deputies responded to the home of Trinity resident Larry Ford, who was found dead with a .25-caliber pistol lying on his bed and what was believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Ten years later, in 1988, Russ Stager, a popular high school baseball coach in Durham, was found dead in his Durham home, apparently from an accidental shooting. These two seemingly unrelated events had a deadly common thread, however. That thread was Barbara Stager, Russ’ wife, who also was married to Ford at the time of Ford’s death. While Durham investigators were investigating Russ Stager’s death, they were tipped off by family members on Ford’s death 10 years earlier. It was then that police discovered what they said was a web of lies, deceit and infidelity in both marriages, and believed that Stager killed both of her husbands. In both cases, money and greed were the apparent motives. She was found guilty in the Russ Stager death and sentenced to life in prison. Authorities never were able to get enough evidence to charge her in Ford’s death, and that case is still open. Stager’s story was made into a bestselling novel, “Before He Wakes,” by Randolph County author and journalist Jerry Bledsoe.

Mafia-style hit

One morning in February 1987, Mary Alice White was getting ready to leave her home in the New Market community in Randolph County when two masked men entered. They tied her up, along with a visitor who arrived at the house later that day. The men were waiting for the arrival of White’s husband, Earl Reese “Pig” White, a prosperous cattle and chicken farmer who also was known to have ties with Randolph County’s gambling underground. When Mr. White arrived in the late afternoon, the gunmen demanded money, then tied him up and took him upstairs. Gunshots rang out, and after the men made a hasty retreat, Mrs. White found her husband upstairs, dead. Charges eventually were brought against Jack Harvey Davis, who was a known associate of local gambling boss Gene Hewitt. Authorities believed that Davis was a hired killer. White apparently was on the payroll of the gambling ring to provide protection, but was unable to keep authorities at bay, so he was killed. During Davis’ trial, in which he was found guilty, Hewitt was the only witness testifying on Davis’ behalf, providing him with an alibi. But the jurors didn’t buy it, and Davis was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Authorities never were able to bring charges against Hewitt. Both men since have died.

Worldwide pyramid scheme

In 2011, businessman Paul Burks started an online, multilevel marketing business in a small, nondescript office off W. Center Street in Lexington. His company, Zeek Rewards, promised clients huge returns. It attracted hundreds of thousands of investors. In the Piedmont Triad area alone, thousands of people are believed to have been enticed by the lucrative business opportunity that was spreading by word of mouth through friendships and workplaces. Online, the company was able to lure investors from as far away as Eastern Europe and Australia. But in August 2012, its assets were seized by federal authorities as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission found it to be a pyramid scheme on a massive scale, in which early investors were paid with proceeds from later ones until the scheme imploded on itself. More than 700,000 investors lost more than $700 million. A receiver was appointed by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina to recover money for victims as part of a civil action. Meanwhile, there’s an ongoing criminal case against Burks and other Zeek ringleaders being pursued by the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Nobody’s prefect! To err is human … even in journalism

BY JIMMY TOMLIN | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

We call it “The File.” It’s not quite as ominous as it sounds, but in the world of journalism, bloopers and blunders and blow-ups are frowned upon, and that’s what “The File” is all about — it’s a collection of typos, tragically worded headlines and assorted other journalistic screw-ups that never should’ve found their way to readers’ eyes, but did. Many, but not all, of the errors compiled in “The File” appeared in The High Point Enterprise. I became keeper of “The File” in January 2014, upon the retirement of its creator, newsroom veteran Vicki Knopfler, who had an especially keen eye for spotting mistakes. Every once in a while, we’ll pull out “The File” and enjoy a few laughs — not only at the expense of others, but at the expense of ourselves. It’s a reminder that we’ve got to be careful in this business — mistakes can damage a newspaper’s credibility — but it’s also a reminder that we’re human. With no further adieu — er, um, ado — here are just a few of our favorite slip-ups:

Mind Your Pee’s and Q’s

Which Way Is Up?

Oh, That Poor Lamb

In November 1998, an Enterprise story about the relocation of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse stated, “Meanwhile, the National Park Service will reopen the lighthouse today and Sunday, and allow visitors to climb to the top and pee over the rails for the last time until 2000.”

One day in the early 1990s, when the Enterprise was still an afternoon paper, a composing room employee accidentally pasted that day’s stock report upside-down on the page, and no one noticed until it was too late. As the newsroom frantically fixed the page for the afternoon’s second edition, one writer/editor calmly smirked, “Let’s just put a headline on it that says, ‘Stocks Have Topsy-Turvy Day.’”

In September 2005, over a story about an alligator that was on the loose in urban Los Angeles, the Enterprise headline read, “Gator Remains on the Lamb.”

Um, Did You Mean Hours? In 1968, The Thomasville Times wrote, “A Davidson County jury deliberated for three years and 45 minutes before returning a guilty verdict in the first-degree murder trial.”

A Holly, Jolly Blunder A December 2012 story about mistletoe was accompanied by a gorgeous, colorful photo … of a sprig of holly.

Business Is Booming Some readers probably wondered why we were reporting about the profits of prostitution when they saw this headline in July 2004: “Hooker Reports Profit Increase.” In this case, Hooker referred to the furniture manufacturer, not a prostitute.

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Have A Smashing Holiday One of the most embarrassing mistakes, if not THE most embarrassing mistake, in Enterprise history occurred on July 3, 1996 — a date that will live in infamy — when the paper published a Fourth of July message we most certainly did not intend. The full-page ad was supposed to encourage readers, “Please Don’t Drink and Drive!,” with the word “Don’t” printed in a bright red for emphasis. Unfortunately, due to a mechanical error, the red ink did not show up on the page, resulting in an ad that encouraged readers, “Please Drink and Drive!” Even worse, right below that ill-fated statement was a list of dozens of local advertisers who had sponsored the page — but who, obviously, wanted nothing to do with such an antisocial message. We reran the ad — correctly, with a heartfelt apology — the very next day.

Oh Deer, Indeed Clever puns can make for some great headlines, but some discretion is required. A March 2002 story recounted the sad story of a deer that somehow got into a local restaurant and terrorized customers before escaping and running out into the road, where it was struck and killed by a passing vehicle. Our headline writer’s poorly timed attempt at humor read, “Oh, Deer! Truck Kills Animal After Restaurant Romp.”

How About A Spelling Lesson? In February 1998, an Enterprise headline read, “Students Get History Lessen From Black Woman’s Grave.”

Good News for Smoking Attics Finally, in September 2000, we ran this headline: “Anti-Smoking Pill Can Help Some Attics Kick the Habit.”

Pull up a couch Key moments in High Point Market history

It’s an experience that shows the reach of High Point’s largest event each year. You’re in an airport in New York or Chicago or Los Angeles biding time until a connecting flight. You strike up a conversation with a stranger who asks, “Where are you from?” “High Point, North Carolina,” you reply. “Isn’t that where they have that big furniture market?” the stranger says. The High Point Market has been synonymous with the city almost since the days the world’s largest home furnishings trade show opened more than 100 years ago. So what’s made the market the market?

BY PAUL B. JOHNSON | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

Burying the hatchet

Market Square

In 1909, the competing High Point Furniture Exposition Co. and Furniture Manufacturers Exposition Co. buried the business hatchet and ended competing trade shows. They joined forces to stage a two-week trade show in the spring of 1909 considered the birthplace of the High Point Market.

Showroom space continues to expand across the central business district through the last few decades of the 20th century. In 1998, a company associated with Chris Kennedy, a son of the late Robert Kennedy, buys the Market Square complex for $100 million from a local business partnership and proceeds to add more showrooms.

Building a home Through the early 20th century, more exhibitors and buyers from retail stores arrive in High Point, including people in the industry from the North. By the early 1920s, a 10-story Southern Exhibition Building opens downtown, the forerunner to the International Home Furnishings Center. By 1940, the building earns a four-story addition.

Yikes, it’s Vegas!

Road show In 1953, the western North Carolina city of Hickory establishes its own trade show to compete with High Point. That left retail buyers wanting to see exhibits of manufacturers having to travel the “furniture highway” along Interstate 40 between High Point and Hickory. The rivalry lasts for 30 years until Hickory merges with the High Point Market, leaving all trade show space here.

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The dawning of a new century brought a rising threat for High Point and its main event. A group of businessmen in Las Vegas launched the idea of an upstart market that would supplant High Point’s role as the leading home furnishings trade show in the world. High Point and Las Vegas dueled for supremacy, a time that led to the creation of the High Point Market Authority to oversee the trade show’s operations. The high-stakes business battle ended in 2011 when the Las Vegas Market merged with the three main showrooms in High Point under one company, International Market Centers.

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Civil rights

mayors of High Point

BY VINCE WHEELER | ENTERPRISE ASSISTANT EDITOR

1859 – In May, High Point is incorporated as a city by act of the N.C. General Assembly.

milestones

1860 – Nathan Hunt Jr. (In February

BY PAT KIMBROUGH | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

1860, elected High Point’s first mayor, according to “High Pointers of High Point,” 1976, by Holt McPherson, former editor of The High Point Enterprise.)

The civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s brought moments of triumph and tragedy all over the country, and High Point was no exception. The eyes of the world were on the city after Feb. 11, 1960, when the first sit-in by high school students during the civil rights movement occurred at the former F.W. Woolworth lunch counter downtown. One of the leaders of that effort, Mary Lou Blakeney, is a well-known civic leader to this day. A monument commemorating the nation’s first sit-in staged by high school students is located at the former Woolworth site.

1860-1896 High Point’s city records during these years are not available, and mayors and councils during these times are not known because of the absence of official city records. However, McPherson’s book also notes that in early years, “The mayor’s office was passed around year after year into the hands of such men as Sewel Farlow, Reuben Sechrest, R.J. Bell, F. Baldwin, Wyatt Bowman, Robert Parker, E.D. Steele, Capt. W.H. Snow, Dr. J.J. Cox, Dr. W.G. Bradshaw, among others.”

1882 – W.H. Snow (March edition of The Pioneer newspaper lists W.H. Snow as mayor).

1891 – Ed Steele (documents in private collection show Steele signing legal documents as High Point mayor in July and August of 1891. The documents suggest Steele’s term was preceded by W.H. Snow as mayor.) Beginning with 1896, these are mayors according to city of High Point’s records.

woolworth’s sit in Sisters integrate high school

Furniture boycott

Sisters Lynn Fountain Campbell and Brenda Fountain Hampden desegregated High Point’s public school system on Sept. 1, 1959, becoming the first blacks to attend Ferndale Middle and what was then High Point High School, now High Point Central. The family received threats and their house was shot at.

Martin Luther King wasn’t the only famous civil rights crusader to visit the city. The Rev. Ralph Abernathy, vice president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, spoke to about 400 people at First Baptist Church on May 15, 1966, and urged a nationwide boycott of the furniture industry because of what he called the paucity of black employees in the business. The evening of the speech, High Point police intercepted cars filled with Ku Klux Klan members who tried to reach the church during Abernathy’s appearance.

1896 – W.H. Snow 1897 – W.G. Bradshaw 1898 – W.G. Bradshaw 1899 – J.J. Cox 1900 – J.J. Cox 1901 – J.J. Cox 1903 – J.J. Welch 1905 – M.J. Wrenn 1907 – M.J. Wrenn 1909 – Fred N. Tate 1911 – Fred N. Tate 1912 – Fred N. Tate 1913 – Fred N. Tate 1915 – W.P Picket 1917 – William P. Ragan

Woolworth’s Sit-In

1918 – D.A. Stanton

King Visits City One night in the summer of 1966, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. visited First Baptist Church on Washington Street, but he did not address a large crowd because of concerns about threats to his life. He met with a small group of civil rights leaders to promote activism and meet with student leaders.

Theater battle In 1963, a scene played out in High Point that was common throughout the Jim Crow south during segregation. A group of black leaders active in integration efforts sued the city demanding an end to segregation in the former Paramount Theater inside what was then City Hall. After blacks were refused service, a picketing campaign was launched outside the theater.

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Inspired by the Feb. 1, 1960, sit-ins by students at N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro, 10 days later students from the former William Penn High School and High Point High School staged a similar demonstration at Woolworth’s on S. Main Street. The 26 students sat down at the “whites only” section of the store’s lunch counter and asked for service. In response, the store closed, but demonstrations continued over the coming days. Major violence was averted, but there were reports of scuffles between large crowds downtown surrounding the protests.

(died in office, Oct. 13, 1918) (sworn into office Nov. 13, 1918)

1919 – D.A. Stanton 1921 – John W. Hedrick 1922 – John W. Hedrick 1925 – H.A. Moffitt 1927 – W.A. Davis 1929 – C.A. York 1931 – C.S. Grayson 1933 – C.S. Grayson 1935 – C.S. Grayson 1937 – C.S. Grayson 1939 – O. Arthur Kirkman

1941 – O. Arthur Kirkman 1943 – Arnold J. Koonce Sr. 1945 – Earl N. Phillips 1947 – Earl N. Phillips 1949 – W.F. Bailey 1951 – Amos R. Kearns 1953 – George A. Covington 1955 – George A. Covington 1957 – Jesse H. Washburn 1959 – Jesse H. Washburn 1961 – Carson C. Stout 1963 – Floyd Mehan 1965 – Carson C. Stout 1967 – Robert D. Davis 1969 – Robert D. Davis 1971 – William S. Bencini 1973 – Paul W. Clapp 1975 – Roy B. Culler Jr. 1977 – Roy B. Culler Jr. 1979 – Roy B. Culler Jr. 1981 – Robert O. Wells 1983 – Robert O. Wells (resigns July 1, 1985 to accept appointment) 1985 – Judith P. Mendenhall (Sworn in as mayor on July 1, becoming the first woman to serve as High Point’s mayor.)

1985 – Judith P. Mendenhall 1987 – Roy B. Culler Jr. 1989 – Roy B. Culler Jr. 1991 – Roy B. Culler Jr.

remains mayor as election is delayed by federal review of ward boundaries.

1992 – Roy B. Culler Jr.

resigns May 9; Councilwoman Rebecca R. (Becky) Smothers appointed mayor.

1992 – Rebecca R. Smothers wins election to three-year term pursuant to action of City Council in September 1991 to implement four-year, staggered terms for City Council. Subsequent mayoral terms are two years. 1995 – Rebecca R. Smothers 1997 – Rebecca R. Smothers 1999 – Arnold J. Koonce Jr. 2002 – Arnold J. Koonce Jr. (2001 election delayed by federal review of ward boundaries)

2003 – Rebecca R. Smothers 2005 – Rebecca R. Smothers 2007 – Rebecca R. Smothers 2009 – Rebecca R. Smothers

(Term extended by legislation that moved municipal election to even-numbered years beginning in 2012.)

2012 – Bernita Sims

(Resigns September 2014)

2014 – Jim Davis

(serves three months after Sims resigns.) 2014 – Bill Bencini (wins November election, takes office in December for a three-year term to return city elections to odd-numbered years.)

T S f A b w

A r a b r

T w f t B b t

T t a a a N h g

home cooking

The South is famous for its down-home restaurants with a local flavor, and High Point is no exception to the culinary rule. Diners have dozens of choices of eateries with their own unique twists. Here’s a sampling of the menu of hometown restaurants:

local flavor

BY PAUL B. JOHNSON | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

Biscuit Factory The Biscuit Factory is one of many places in High Point that can be affectionately called a hole-in-the-wall. The name of the small eatery at 2103 Kirkwood St. off Eastchester Drive tells you all you need to know. It specializes in biscuits that often have customers wrapping their cars around the building in the well-worn drive-through lane.

Becky’s and Mary’s Down-home cooking is the speciality at this casual restaurant at 731 Washington Drive. Becky’s and Mary’s has served filling soul food, such as chicken and chops, in a friendly atmosphere for more than 40 years.

Blue Zucchini One of the city’s newer restaurants offers an eclectic menu in a trendy atmosphere, with eye-popping art lining the walls of a cozy dining space. The restaurant at 1506 N. Main St. features burgers, sandwiches and seafood with a twist, as well as stylish brands of beverages.

Alex’s House

The Claddagh

The restaurant with a diner feel at 1223 N. Main St. is a favorite hangout, especially at breakfast, for a host of locals. The menu features classic American fare, and many diners curl up at a booth or table to enjoy a meal while catching up with friends.

This restaurant provides High Pointers with a taste of Ireland. The restaurant at 130 E. Parris Ave. features classic Irish fare such as shepherd’s pie and corned beef and cabbage, as well as a spacious bar serving — what else — Guinness beer.

Austin’s

The Dog House

A welcoming, intimate bar and casual dining room greets visitors to this longtime restaurant at 2448 N. Main St. Two of its staples are the black angus beef steaks and slow-cooked prime rib, and it features a small but popular bar.

Yet another in the category of affectionate dives that dot the city. The Dog House at 664 N. Main St. north of downtown features classic American fare in the super-casual setting of a long, narrow dining space.

Carolina Diner

Five Points Subs

The restaurant at 201 Eastchester Drive is most well known for its extensive and fulfilling breakfast. It’s a popular place for families or groups to meet to get the day started with breakfast. But it’s also got a late-night menu when you’ve been out having a good time but still not ready to head home.

Another eatery in High Point affectionately known as a dive. The small restaurant at 1144 Five Points Place off of Greensboro Road features sub sandwiches but also hot dogs and Greek dishes.

Carter Brothers The family-owned and operated restaurant with two locations is best known for its barbecue and ribs, though it also features tasty burgers and chicken dishes. The laid-back, friendly atmosphere makes the two locations — 2305 N. Main St. and 3802 Samet Drive — regular hangouts for local customers as well as VIP guests such as pro golfer Bubba Watson.

Jimmy’s Pizza House Still another affectionate, longtime dive, Jimmy’s Pizza House specializes in what its name implies, but also features a wide-ranging menu with items such as chopped sirloin and Italian dishes. It’s located in downtown High Point at 203 N. Main St.

KC’s Restaurant Fans of hamburgers and hot dogs flock to this casual spot in southern High Point. KC’s Restaurant at 2728 S. Main St. offers traditional

Xiv

American food in a friendly atmosphere.

Kepley’s One of the city’s longest-running restaurants for more than 60 years, Kepley’s specializes in barbecue dishes in the unique atmosphere of a World War II Army quonset hut. The restaurant at 1304 N. Main St. also features classic hamburgers and hot dogs.

Plaza Cafe The restaurant on the southern edge of the High Point Market district specializes in Greek food in a casual, friendly atmosphere. The eatery at 336 S. Main St. not only is a popular place for locals but a hangout for market visitors each spring and fall.

Rainbow Family Restaurant For more than 30 years, this restaurant has dished out a wide variety of menu items in the casual atmosphere of a spacious dining room. At the restaurant at 1715 Westchester Drive, diners can order selections ranging from Greek salads to Southern-style dinner entrees.

Sanibel’s One of High Point’s favorite places for seafood also features a wide-ranging menu with steaks, chicken and pasta. The restaurant at 2929 N. Main St. provides a relaxing atmosphere and is a popular place for family nights out.

Sir Pizza This local pizza joint welcomes diners at two

locations in the city. The locations — at 1916 N. Main St. and 2833 S. Main St. — specialize in thin-crust pizzas served in a laid-back atmosphere. Sir Pizza also is popular with takeout customers wanting to enjoy a pizza at home or the office.

Sumela’s Mediterranean dishes are the specialty of the restaurant at 805 N. Main St. in a shopping center at Montlieu Avenue. The meals are served in a cozy atmosphere, including a patio where you can eat on a nice day outside.

Tipsy’z Tavern Still another affectionate hole-in-the-wall restaurant best known for its mouth-watering burgers. The restaurant at 805 Westchester Drive features a small dining room, but also a bar where you can park yourself for a meal.

Tom’s Place Another laid-back friendly restaurant that’s a popular place for locals, especially for its wide-ranging breakfast menu. The restaurant at 1524 N. Main St. has been an institution in the city for decades.

Wilk’s Skillet This home-cooking restaurant at 1122 E. Lexington Ave. near the intersection with Centennial Street features classic fare such as hamburgers and hot dogs along with chops, cornbread and macaroni and cheese. Wilk’s Skillet bills itself as the best soul food in the city.

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How’s the weather? to the extreme and back

BY STEPHANIE BUTZER | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

High Point is lucky to be both far enough from the coast to avoid tropical storms and far enough from the mountains to avoid heavy snowfall. But that doesn’t mean it escapes completely untouched. Here are some of the weather extremes our city has faced.

snow

HOTTEST DAY The hottest day in High Point has been recorded at 106 degrees in both July of 1952 and July of 1926.

In an average year, High Point usually sees a bit of snow, but nothing too dangerous or debilitating. However, the blizzard of March 1, 1927, completely shut down the city. About 26 inches of snow was dumped on High Point that day alone. The Enterprise reported that three teachers and 10 students did show up to an elementary school for class in the morning, but school was canceled later that day and didn’t resume until March 4. A similar snow dumping took place in January of 1966, with 23 inches. In addition, in March of 1960, it snowed on four consecutive Wednesdays. Residents at the time remember sledding around the city, including on Wendover Drive and Blair Park, as well as ice skating on frozen ponds.

TORNADOES

COLDEST DAY The coldest day was reported as -7 degrees in January of 1985

RAIN April has yet to take the cake for the month with the most showers. Instead, that honor currently goes to September of 1947, when the city endured 13.35 inches of rain just that month alone. Runner-up was June of 2006, with 13.11 inches. The rainiest April in recorded history was in 2003 when clouds dumped 7.35 inches of rain.

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When residents think of tornadoes in the area, many will remember the powerful tornado that struck High Point in March 2010. The storm, rated EF3, touched down near the intersection of Old Mill Road and Johnson Street. At 200 yards wide and with wind speeds reaching 138 mph, the tornado caused three injuries and damaged a daycare center. It destroyed 40 homes and businesses and damaged about 600 other structures, causing almost $10 million in total for property damage. Looking back on High Point’s timeline of storms, you’ll see that another significant tornado hit the western part of the city April 7, 1957. This one tore a house in half. According to a photo of the home on the front page of a newspaper in Salem, Oregon, the following day, a neighbor rescued the 54-year-old woman and her 18-month-old granddaughter, both who were not seriously injured.

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quirky buildings Is that a ship? Wait, is that a huge chest of drawers? BY PAUL B. JOHNSON | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

You’re driving down a street in High Point when your eye catches an odd sight: No, you’re not hallucinating, that is a huge chest of drawers. Then you head down another street downtown and look to the side: You’re still not hallucinating, that is a building that looks like a huge ship. High Point features several buildings that fit the category of unique architecture. They include:

Huge chest of drawers No. 2 Given its role as the Home Furnishings Capital of the World, it’s not enough that High Point has one huge chest of drawers. It needs a second. Furnitureland South, one of the nation’s largest home furnishings retailers, built an 80-foot-high chest of drawers to anchor the facade of one of its retail showroom buildings off of Business Interstate 85.

Natuzzi building High Point’s architectural ship has come in, thanks to a home furnishings company that’s a staple at the High Point Market. Natuzzi has received a treasure trove of awards over the

and their stories

BY STEPHANIE BUTZER | ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER

High Point’s history is woven into its roads. Some have obvious backgrounds, like MLK Drive or Deep River Road, named after the civil rights leader and the nearby river, respectively. But some have a deeper story behind their names. Here is a background of some of High Point’s most wellknown roads. Model Farm Road This tiny road on the opposite side of Interstate 85 is nestled in the far southwest corner of High Point. The street was named after a Quaker farm that was set to be the archetype for farmers after the Civil War. Because the area was war-torn and in poverty, Quakers wanted to create a model to show people how to incorporate better agricultural practices into their farming establishments.

Huge chest of drawers North of downtown High Point is a building with an eye-catching facade — a nearly 40-foot-high dark brown chest of drawers, complete with two mammoth socks hanging over the lip of one drawer. One sock is a monotone beige, the other a white-and-black argyle. The building along Hamilton Street is at the intersection with Westwood Avenue on the outer limits of the High Point Market showroom district.

historic roads

xvii

to the courthouse steps in Greensboro. It was the primary thoroughfare that connected High Point and Greensboro and became the first fully paved road in downtown High Point in 1910.

Montlieu Avenue Montlieu Avenue is named after the late-19th-century farm named Montlieu Dairy that sat on the intersection of today’s N. Centennial Street and Montlieu Avenue. The street was officially named in 1916.

Chestnut Drive

Natuzzi building years for the angular design of the black building that stretches along S. Elm Street to near Commerce Avenue downtown. The four-story building uses mammoth glass panes to cut into the facade, with the curve of the ship reaching around the back side of the structure.

Lifestyle Enterprises The High Point Market showroom district offers the city’s landscape a taste of ancient China. The Lifestyle Enterprises building at Hamilton Street and Green Drive is built in the design of a imperial Chinese city, complete with bright red columns and roof lines.

Showplace One of the city’s leading home furnishings trade show buildings looks like it might be something from an episode of the futuristic cartoon show “The Jetsons.” The massive Showplace building downtown features dramatic curved lines and a facade primarily composed of glass, along with a titled architectural feature jutting from the center of the roof.

A popular woman on this street had a deep love for chestnuts. That passion was strong enough for her to successfully pursue the road to be renamed Chestnut Drive.

Skeet Club Road This popular High Point road was named in the 1960s for the skeet club that used to be along the street. The city was divided when it decided to give the street a name. Some folks wanted it to be called Westminster Road because the town of Westminster used to be located in north High Point near Deep River Friends Meeting. Others wanted it to be named Skeet Club after the skeet shooting club. We all know which side won that debate.

Old Plank Road In the mid-1800s, traveling was difficult. Roads were often muddy and the going was slow. In 1852, High Point city officials decided that the fastest and cheapest way to get people to their destinations would be to create a plank road. It created positive change in the city. Four years after it was established, the railroad was built and the intersection of that and the plank road became a popular place for commerce. However, today’s Old Plank Road does not run along the original plank road. That is mostly under where Main Street now sits. The street was named after the original road to recognize and memorialize how it extended business in High Point.

Washington Street This street was named after the first U.S. president. However, before that, it was named Jamestown Road since it ran through Jamestown up

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little known facts

Discovering Thomasville

about Archdale Public Library BY DEBBIE HIGHTOWER | ARCHDALE-TRINITY NEWS

BY DANIEL KENNEDY | THOMASVILLE TIMES STAFF WRITER

Ancient artifact? Perhaps, but not all that glitters is is gold. Sometimes the rust and dust of centuries past help define the present. The following, all of which call Thomasville home, are just some of the structures, visits and people who helped to make the Chair City what it has become.

he Big Chair

Historic Downtown

Let’s start with the city’s bestknown landmark. A 30-foot replica of a Duncan Phyfe armchair, one of three local historic landmarks, it is the most distinctive relic of a bygone furniture manufacturing era. The chair, located in the heart of downtown Thomasville, represents the furniture industry’s presence in the area, but also held the distinction for many decades of being called the world’s largest chair. In 1960, the chair garnered national attention when vice-presidential hopeful Lyndon B. Johnson stopped to greet local supporters from atop the chair while on a campaign whistle stop.

A section of Randolph Street, between Colonial Drive and Carolina Avenue, carries a National Register designation and is home to several historic landmarks, including the Hinkle House.

Train Depot

Thomasville Cemetery

Thomasville’s burial grounds, located on Memorial Drive, are believed to be home to the only cemetery with Confederate and Federal soldiers buried in a common grave.

The Grand ‘Ol Festival Thomasville hosts North Carolina’s oldest festival, Everybody’s Day, each September. The festival has grown in popularity over the last 100 years, and after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, attracted a reported estimated attendance of more than 50,000 people.

The Grand ‘Ol Dame Home to a number of gatherings over the years, the Thomasville Woman’s Club – nicknamed the Grand ‘Ol Dame – was constructed in 1938 and is listed on the local historic register. Among the most recent celebrities who have stopped by the club, Wil Myers, the 2013 American League Rookie of the Year, paid a visit in the same year for a charity event.

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The first Archdale Public Library opened June 5, 1973. The current facility at 10433 S. Main St. was built on land donated by Archdale philanthropists Bill and Elizabeth Aldridge. Here are some other interesting facts about the library:

Hinkle House The Lambeth-Hinkle home was built by Col. Frank S. Lambeth in 1908. It was later restored by David Hinkle and is the family home of his son, William G. Hinkle. The city has attempted to restore the downtown area in recent years, starting in 1999 when the City Council appointed members to the historic preservation commission to lobby for state funding to save such sites from the early 20th century.

The train depot, which currently functions as the home of Thomasville Tourism, was built in 1906. M.L. Jones encouraged the construction to connect Thomasville and Denton with High Point and surrounding cities.

Early Furniture What is believed to be the earliest furniture factory in Thomasville, The Standard Chair Co., in the first block of W. Colonial Drive is among the buildings covered under the historic preservation designation. The company was established in 1898.

Abbott’s Creek Missionary Baptist Church The area’s oldest church, Abbott’s Creek is a historic Primitive Baptist church near Thomasville. Its cemetery contains some of the earliest recorded deaths in Davidson County, with the earliest headstone dating to 1795. Several unmarked stones may date even earlier. The 351 locally manufactured gravestones makes it the largest such group in Davidson County.

• There are six employees at the Archdale Public Library, including Branch Director Matt Shaw, Assistant Branch Director Rebecca Fleming, two paraprofessional librarians and two shelvers. Including books, audio and video, the collection includes 49,255 items. • According to Assistant Branch Director Rebecca Fleming, frequently sought genres include inspirational romance and suspense thriller types, followed closely by true crime titles. • There are 27,676 Archdale Library cardholders. • The index system, which includes resources from seven libraries in the Randolph County Public Library system, has been completely digital for well over a decade. • During fiscal year 2014-15, 119,332 individual items were checked out in addition to 30,903 requests for reference, 9,975 technology requests and 1,569 requests for help with job or careers. Visitors logged 31,677 Internet uses and 2,780 WiFi uses. Total attendance at 154 different library programs numbered 6,176. • There were 111,398 visits to the library. • You may check out a maximum of 40 books on one card, but Fleming has seen families with several children max out two library cards. • Some of the library’s spookier titles include: “Old Tom, Man of Mystery” by Leigh Hobbs “Creepy Carrots!” by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown “Welcome to Monster Town” by Ryan Heshka “What a Scare, Jesse Bear” by Nancy White Carlstrom, illustrated by Bruce Degen “Junie B Jones, First Grader: BOO, and I Mean It” by Barbara Park, illustrated by Denise Brunkus

newspapers in high point

BY VINCE WHEELER | OPINON PAGE EDITOR

The High Point Enterprise (1883-continuous) • Began most likely in November 1883 as a weekly under the flag, The Enterprise. Joint venture of E.D. Steele, W.A. Blair and William Richardson. • Operated as The High Point Enterprise weekly beginning in late 1888 by new owner J.J. Farriss. • Operated as Semi-Weekly High Point Enterprise by J.J. Farriss, May 31, 1904, to Sept. 9, 1904. • Sept. 9, 1904, the Daily Enterprise begins under ownership of J.J. Farriss. On Jan. 25, 1909, the daily edition’s name changes to The High Point Enterprise. After beginning daily publication in 1904, a weekly version of The High Point Enterprise resumes under J.J. Farriss ownership and operates for several years. • March 1915, J.J. Farriss sells The High Point Enterprise to four men from Greensboro, including J.P. Rawley. In 1918, the group sells The High Point Enterprise to Parker R. Anderson, who retains J.P. Rawley as business manager. • May 1919, a group of High Point men, including R.B. Terry and J.P. Rawley, purchase The High Point Enterprise from Parker R. Anderson. Terry and Rawley soon buy out the others.

• The Terry and Rawley families continue the 50-50 partnership until 1999, when Joe and David Rawley sell their family’s half to Paxton Media Group. In 2004, after Randall Terry dies, Paxton Media Group acquires full ownership of the newspaper and continues its operation today.

of The Enterprise by E.D. Steele, W.A. Blair and William Richardson.

High Point Citizen (1897) Began in 1897. Earliest known issue: Sept. 1, 1897. Last known issue: Nov. 17, 1897. Continued by High Point Daily Citizen.

High Point Daily Citizen (1899)

The Beacon

Began in 1899. Earliest known issue: Jan. 9, 1899. Last known issue: Jan. 28, 1899. Continued High Point Citizen.

(1940s-1950s) Began 1940s. Earliest known issue July 24, 1947. Last known issue Sept. 20, 1956. Ed Kemp was for some time an editor and publisher. Bill Currie, former staffer of The High Point Enterprise who went on to broadcast UNC-Chapel Hill sports, was at one time editor. The Beacon was noted for its large, sometimes scandalous headlines and photos.

High Point Daily News (1963-1967) Began in 1963. First Edition issue: July 25, 1963. Editors: A.G. Whitener, J.C. Bledsoe, L.E. Hayter. Last known issue: Oct. 13, 1967. Began as a weekly with the intent of becoming a daily. Published mornings. Publication was continued by: Newsguide.

Farm and Fireside (1880?-1883) Began in 1880? Earliest known issue: Apr. 21, 1883. Last known issue: June 23, 1883. Owned and operated by brothers Galen and Daniel S. Ouderkirk. In October 1883, it was reported by other area newspapers that the Ouderkirks had sold their newspaper. Research is continuing as to the possibility that this sale was related to the beginning

(1919-1923) Began in 1919. Earliest known issue: May 8, 1919. Last known issue: Aug. 30, 1923. Began in 1860. Earliest known issue: Apr. 20, 1860. Last known issue: Dec.

Specializing In the Medical And Surgical Management Of Foot Disorders

www.highpointfootcenter.com

North Carolina Foot & Ankle Society Podiatric Physicians Providing Medical and Surgical Care

882-2070

Began in 1919? Earliest known issue: Aug. 3, 1923. Last known issue: June 1, 1934.

The Naked Truth. (1896-1897) Began in 1896. Earliest known issue: Dec. 15, 1896. Editor was L.I. Bodenheimer. Containing much religious content, newspaper was published semi-monthly with the intent of becoming a weekly when it reached 1,000 subscribers, according to a notice in an edition of the paper. Published in the “Enterprise building.” A note in The Naked Truth’s flag said it, “Is an Independent Newspaper giving the news in general and a sermon of the editor in every issue.” Last known issue: Mar. 15, 1897.

issue: May 30, 1973. Ceased in 1976, Last known issue: Nov. 3, 1976. Editor and publisher Al Campbell.

The Pioneer (1882-1883?)

Weekly Ledger (1903-1904)

Began in 1882, published weekly. Publishers were E.D. Steele and C.E. Wilson. Editor was E.D. Steele. Possibly ceased publication in 1883 after E.D. Steele, along with W.A. Blair and William Richardson, began The Enterprise, forerunner of The High Point Enterprise, in November 1883.

Some information provided by the North Carolina newspapers index maintained by the State Library of North Carolina, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Began in 1903? Earliest and last known issue: Apr. 23, 1904.

Review (1908-1922) Began in 1908. Earliest known issue: Sept. 11, 1909 Last known issue: Aug. 17, 1922.

Tribunal Aid (1973-1976) Began in 1973, earliest known

High Point Reporter (1860)

Diplomat American Board of Podiatric Surgery Certified in Foot Surgery

Call for an appointment Most managed care insurance programs accepted 6425 Old Plank Rd, Suite 109 • High Point

High Pointer (1919?-1934)

Began in 1967. Earliest known issue: Oct. 20, 1967. Last known issue: July 31, 1970. Continues: High Point Daily News

High Point News

Take the Steps Towards Healthier Feet!

KEVIN R. HENRY, DPM

Newsguide (1967-1970)

13, 1860

Serving the High Point area for 12 years!

Where

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About Face Cosmetics & Day Spa

1107 N. Main Street, High Point 336.889.0400 • aboutfacedayspa.com

27 | hometowns 2015

Here ForYou Your Life, Your Health, Your Community. Our local physician network is expanding! UNC Regional Physicians is expanding with an array of medical experts who deliver the highest quality of primary and specialized medical care to people like you, your family and friends.

28 |the book of lists

To locate a UNC Regional Physician: RegionalPhysicians.com | (336) 878-MD4U 6 3 4 8