Grafton High School - Re Echo Yearbook (Grafton, WV)

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pMM The first football team of Grafton High School was This is the freshman class of 1894 in Grafton High organized in 1904. The coach was W. Merle Watkins, at School. At that time the high school was located in the present judge of the Taylor County Circuit Court. old Central Building on Wilford Street. It is now used for the machine and welding shops. The first horseless carriage, hence the automobile, to be driven down the Main Street of Grafton in 1893 was owned by Mr. Nestor, a job printer. At that time Main Street was paved with cobble stones. The first streetcar in Grafton made its initial run on February I, 1908. The city council granted a franchise to the Grafton Street, Railway, and Light Company to provide transportation and electricity for the city. Colonel McGrow built the line. The car barn and shops were located at the site of the present Grafton Hotel. 13

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The Baltimore and Ohio machinists as they appeared with their tools in 1889. Their working uniform is quite a contrast to those worn by the present day machinists. The B. O. Bridge was built in 1884 and demolished in 1890. A freight train jumped the track knocking out its supports, causing an oil tank to explode. Someone threw a lighted broom into the river setting the surface ablaze from Grafton to Fetterman. The Memorial Day Parade on Main Street May 30, 1884. Horses and carriages were prominent in the parades of that time. This scene in front of Love's Grocery Store is typical of 1889. It was located on the site of the present Wolfe's Tire Shop. Mr. Love is the gentleman with the long whiskers standing in front of the store.

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This is the monument erected to Thornsbury Bailey Brown, body guard to Lieutenant Daniel Wilson. Brown was the first man killed in the Civil War. He was killed on May 22, 1861, by confederate guards while returning with Wilson from recruiting Union Troops at Pruntytown. This monument was erected by Betsy Ross Tent. Daughters of Union Veterans, on May 22, 1928. The West Virginia College at Flemington was built to replace the old Rector College at Pruntytown. It was an institution of higher learning in Taylor County and was founded in 1863. The Rev. W. W. Colegrove, A. M., was one of its leading presidents. The first District High School in West Virginia was founded here in 1902. The last graduating class was in 1929. Mr. Sherman Haselden was principal. The Municipal Building was built in 1874 by the Grafton Bank and later became the First National Bank. It was established as the City Building at the time Mr. Thomas Cather was mayor. The city government was previously located in the Boyd Building where the present Starr Shoe Shop is located. This shows the gala events celebrating the opening of the Grafton-Fairmont Road in 1928. Representatives of Marion and Taylor Counties met on Curry Ridge to open the road to traffic between the two cities. During the drought of 1930 the hills turned brown and all farm crops were unproductive from lack of water. The farmers were compelled to haul water for their cattle and even drinking water was scarce. The Tygart Valley River was so low that one could walk across it. X