1928 - Alderson High School - 1968

Only Yesterday In Alderson - Page 7 Tom Dixon (Click on photos for larger view)

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The   Great   War   for   democracy   was   over   and   July   4th,   1919   was a   day   appropriate   for   jubilation.   These   people   could   only   dimly recognize   a   change   coming   and   could   not   imagine   how   World War   1   would   reshape   the   earth   and   her   people.   (Banner   reads: “1776 VICTORY 1919”)  Photo by J. W. McClung.

The    First    National    Bank    was    chartered    as    National    Bank No.5903    on    July    10,    1901,    using    the    assets    of    the    state chartered   Bank   of   Alderson   which   had   been   organized   one June   26,   1891,and   had   built   this   impressive   banking   house   on the   corner   of   Railroad   Avenue   and   Monroe   Street   in   1898-99. Alderson's     first     bank,     The     Greenbrier     Valley,     had     its headquarters   on   RR   Avenue   one   door   away   and   closed   in 1909,    its    assets    going    to    the    First    National    and    the    new Alderson    National    Bank.    Prior    to    the    Greenbrier    Valley's establishment   in   1884   most Alderson   merchants   held   accounts in   Staunton   or   Charleston,   both   easily   communicated   with   over the C&O. - Photo by J. W. McClung.  

In   earlier   times   U.   S.   currency   was   issued   not   only   by   the Treasury    but    also    backed    by    funds    in    the    various    National Banks.   Here   are   two   large   sized   notes   issued   by   the   First National   Bank,   series   of   1901   and   1921.   Printed   and   ultimately backed    by    the    government,    these    notes    were    part    of    the decentralized    currency    system    in    effort    prior    to    the    Great Depression.   Notes   from   the   Alderson’s   Bands   are   rare   finds today. - Collection of John Alderson and Tom Dixon.

Glen   Ray   located   a   mile   west   of   Alderson   boasted   this   ornate flag   stop   station   in   1917.   Local   trains   #13   and   #14   would   stop on    flag.    (Imagine    that!)    Photo    from    C&O    Historical    Society Collection (W. W. Carman)

The   Commonwealth   Lumber   Company   mill   at   Glen   Ray,   a   mile west   of Alderson   was   in   full   production   in   1910   when   this   photo of   part   of   its   crew   was   taken   near   the   log   pond.   The   Mill   went into   production   in   1906   and   continued   until   1914,   operating   an extensive   logging   railroad   up   Kenney's   Knob.      Photo   form   T.   W. Dixon Collection.