Welcome to Randolph Rewind

Join us in looking back at various intervals of life in Asheboro and surrounding communities in Randolph County over the past 100 years …

10 years ago / Feb. 16, 2012

——— The transformation of two old mill buildings on South Church Street into 70 affordable apartments has begun, according to general contractor John Stiltner. Called Asheboro Lofts, this complex will have high ceilings, large windows and other historical elements preserved from two old mills, Asheboro Hosiery Mill (built in 1917) and the Cranford Furniture Company (completed in 1925). Purchased by The Landmark Group for adaptive reuse, this site will receive much of its funding from a $9.5 million Low Income Housing Tax Credit by WNC & Associates, a national investor in urban renewal and affordable housing projects. 

——— Don Nance, 88, passed away on Feb. 10, 2012.  Mr. Nance was retired from Acme-McCrary where he played outstanding baseball and basketball with the renowned McCrary Eagles, served as long-time umpire and referee in local sports, and was the respected namesake of Nance Ballfield at Asheboro Memorial Park.  Area ballplayers will no doubt recall his signature vocal calling of “You’re O-U-TTT!!”

——— Sponsored by the Randolph Arts Guild, RSVP will present the hilarious comedy “Hallelujah Girls” on stage at the Sunset Theatre. Tickets are $10 (and $8 for seniors and students).

——— Here’s a seasonal ad to “Treat your teacher or loved one with a heart-shaped BoBerry Biscuit … now available all month at 2 for 99 cents at the Randleman Bojangles!”

25 years ago / Feb. 16, 1997

——— Asheboro attorney Lillian B. O’Briant was appointed by NC Gov. Jim Hunt as a new District Court Judge in the recently expanded 19-B Judicial District, covering Randolph, Montgomery and Moore counties.

——— Asheboro High School football standout Merceda Perry signed a contract to play football with the North Carolina Tar Heels. Son of Dr. Merceda and Willia Perry, this talented young man has been coached in high school by David Moody, who stated that this is the first AHS athlete to sign with UNC since Philip Cheek in 1985.

——— Southwestern Randolph High School won the Randolph County Quiz Bowl for the 2nd year in a row in a championship round against Trinity High School. Sponsored by the Randolph Public Library for five years, this popular event featuring outstanding high school students lists its previous winners as Eastern Randolph HS (1993 & 1994) and Asheboro HS (1995).

——— Ruth Hicks was asked at Burge Flower Shop on Asheboro’s South Fayetteville Street about the most unusual floral arrangement she had ever received, and she laughingly replied, “A dozen black roses on my 50th birthday.  I expected something else, but that’s what I got!”

50 years ago / Feb. 16, 1972

——— Zoofund Inc., a nonprofit corporation to promote passage of the “zoo bond” referendum, has been established in Raleigh, according to local business executive Alex MacFayden.  The 1971 General Assembly stipulated that $2 million in capital improvements for the state zoo project south of Asheboro should be voted on in a statewide referendum slated for May 6, 1972, per NC Gov. Bob Scott.

——— Seven candidates are seeking the 4 seats on the Randolph County School Board held by incumbents Sonny Davis, Thurman McBride, Howard    Hinshaw and Grady Lawson. Challengers include Mary Tate Graham Blake,    Kenneth Langley and Paul Woodell.

——— Mrs. Bobby D. Connell presented a program entitled “Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones” to the Alpha Upsilon chapter of the women’s honorary society of educators, Delta Kappa Gamma, in the home of Mrs. W.L. Lambert where refreshments were served in the theme of George Washington’s birthday.

75 years ago / Feb. 16, 1947

——— Radio Station WGWR (“We Grow With Randolph”) is expected to be “on the air” within 60 days, unless there is more delay in shipment of vital parts. The new station will operate on a frequency of 1,260 kilocycles with 1,000 watts power, daytime only for the present. The tower will be located just north of town about 500 yards north of G.P. Pritchard’s home on 5 acres atop a ridge.  At the same time, work has been started on the studios on the second floor of the Southern Goods Corp. on the corner of Asheboro’s East Salisbury and North Main streets. J R. Marlowe, for over four years manager of a radio station in Greensboro, has been secured as manager of the local station.

——— The honor of making the first contribution in the present campaign to raise $100,000 for Asheboro’s Memorial Park goes to the War Mothers for their $50 donation, according to Mayor W. Clyde Lucas, president of the Asheboro Memorial Foundation, Inc.

*** Valentine’s Day Sale ads for downtown Asheboro stores include a lovely diamond solitaire ring for $100 at Rogers Jewelers on 114 Sunset Avenue and the final clearance of winter dresses at M’Lady’s Shop on Fayetteville at Sunset for $5.00 (with values up to $29.95).

100 years ago / Feb. 16, 1922

——— Messrs. C.C. and E.D. Cranford will in the near future begin the construction of a large chair factory on Asheboro’s South Church Street, the output of which will be approximately 1,000 chairs per day. They will manufacture double cane chairs and rockers made of white oak and hickory.

——— This is the second anniversary of that deep winter period in early 1920 when all of the schools, churches and movie houses were closed for several weeks in Randolph County due to the flu epidemic.