The County

Introduction

On the premise that no town is an island, Remember Cliffside has extended its reach, to include the history and lore of the surrounding area. The people of Cliffside came and went, from and to other nearby areas, and had ties to a lot of other towns and communities. So, as they become available, we will post in this section articles that, while they may not pertain directly to Cliffside, are important to our general knowledge of the area. If we don’t know where we came from, we don’t know who we are.

Places

The Rock Springs Campground: Where camp meetings were held during most of the 1800’s.
Map of Avondale: Homes and tenants about 1950
Henrietta, Caroleen and Avondale: By Scott Withrow
A Town Called Avondale, A Mill Named Haynes: More history of the town and the mill, both now gone.
Rutherford County Once Covered All of WNC: From The Forest City Courier’s 50th Anniversary edition, August 1, 1968
The State magazine: Devoted its entire August 1963 edition to Rutherford County, with articles on the people, culture and legends of our area.
The Story of Haynes Mill: And the Town of Avondale, By Hollis Owens, Sr.
Romina Revisited: A followup on Forest City’s old Romina Theatre
A Short History of Henrietta and Caroleen: From Rutherford County 1979: A People’s Bicentennial History

People

A Circle of Lives: Locating old friends of Martha Franklin
Dr. Thomas Claude Lovelace: Lower Rutherford’s Long-time Physician
William E. McArthur (1859-1956): Perhaps Rutherford’s First Professional Photographer
Amos Owens: Rutherford’s Most Colorful Character
Dr. Ben Washburn: Accounts of his remarkable life, and chapters from his books
Notes on S.B. Tanner: A look at Simpson Bobo Tanner’s life and personality
The Legend of Daniel Keith, by Pat Mendoza: The shadow of a hanged man, it is told, appeared on the wall of the Rutherfordton jail, long after his wrongful execution. This is one to tell around the campfire to wide-eyed Boy Scouts.

Photos

Alexander Mills – 1918: Then called Alexander Manufacturing Co.
Garden Club & School: At Henrietta – 1918
Rutherfordton Parade: In the 1920s
Henrietta Street: West End, Henrietta – Circa 1920s
The Haynes Mill and Avondale: A stunning aerial view of the village

History

End of an era for D.C. Cole’s musical family: When Jane Krause Hill retired from County Schools
Cherry Trees For Sale: A pyramid scheme in Rutherford County a century ago
Rutherford County: Then and Now: A six part Courier review of the county’s economy, July 2009
The Henrietta Mill: The story and pictures
Wall Reunion and Family History: A gathering in Nov. 5, 1927. A family traced back to William the Conquerer.
“Good Old Days”(early 1800s) of Rutherford County: They’re much in doubt, says a 1942 historian.
A History of High Shoal Church: Although not the oldest church in Rutherford, it goes way back.
History of Florence Plant Goes Back to 1892: A brief account of the founding of a Rutherford county landmark.
Satisfied Employees at Tanner Cotton Mills: A special 1917 edition of the Charlotte News describes the mills of S.B. Tanner in Forest City, Rutherfordton, Henrietta and elsewhere.

Events

A Hanging at Sunshine: Aftermath of the Battle of Kings Mountain
Look! Up in the Sky!: Aviation exploits over Rutherford County in 1919.
An Englishman’s Trip: To Rutherford in 1837
WWII Memorial Restored: At Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy – 2010
Rutherford Boys: Help Crash The Hindenburg Line in WWI
A Terrible Disaster: Florence Mill boiler explodes – 1893
Henrietta Had Disastrous Fire: The news was all bad in Henrietta on January 13, 1944, when a grocery store, shoe shop, movie theater and filling station burned to the ground.
1918 Flu Epidemic in High Shoals: A survey of its effect on lower Rutherford.

Memoirs

JoAnn Huskey’s “Growing Up Years”: In Forest City’s Florence Mill Village
Reminiscences of Christenberry Lee: Lower Rutherford’s people in the 1800s
Memories and Events of a Half Century: By Robert K. Hollified. Forty seven chapters on life in the county from about 1880 to the 1930s. There are over 400 individuals mentioned, with an index linked to the pertinent chapters.