Saturday, October 20, 1917 brought news of the death of General John Thomas Wilder, a prominent industrialist who lived in Johnson City between 1884 and 1892. It saddened residents all over the country, especially those in the State of Tennessee.

My aunt, Doris Anderson, gave me a cache of old letters dating between December 1911 and June 1949 that were written to her mother (my grandmother), Mrs. Neva Cox. They came from her husband, Earl; mother, Molly; and others. While much of the wording would be appropriate today, an occasional entry in the letters dates them (buying eggs for three cents each in 1915 and working for the American Cigar Box Lumber Company on Cherry Street for 33.3 cents/hr. in 1920).

I love to read old newspapers because I never know what I might come across. Such was the case when I examined an article in an April 1931 Johnson City Staff-News titled “Major Lyle Is Chief Speaker for Kiwanis - Old Resident Describes Development of City from Days of Long Ago.”

In 1909, the year Henry Ford introduced his Model T Ford to the public, there were understandably no automobile dealers or repair shops in Johnson City. Instead, numerous livery stables existed such as Edward S. McClain (W. Market near Boone), Marion McMackin (Locust near Roan) and City Stable (125 W. Market).

Summers Hardware and Supply Company has had a long convoluted metamorphosis as it migrated through several decades, store locations and individuals into the business that is today located at 400 Buffalo Street.

One piece of exciting news in 1912 was the opening of Jones-Vance Drug Company at 121 Buffalo at Tipton. There were just four doctors in town then - Dr. Elmore Estes, Dr. J.H. Johnson, Dr. W.G. Matthews and Dr. J.H. Preas.

A 1915 Chamber of Commerce publication offers a concise analysis of The Bee Hive Department Store that was once located at Fountain Square in downtown Johnson City:

The much-anticipated new ultra-modern Penney’s department store opened its doors at 305 E. Main Street in August 1948. The business moved from 240 E. Main, which later became the residence of Nettie Lee Ladies Shop.

“The music goes zoom zoom; The drummer goes boom boom; And everybody shouts, Hurray for Valleydale; Hurray for Valleydale; All hail, it's Valleydale. (cymbal) Valleydale sausage; (cymbal) Valleydale wieners; (cymbal) Valleydale bacon; Zing, zing, zing, zing, Valleydale; Hurray for Valleydale; All hail, it's Valleydale.”

The Hart & Houston Store that once occupied 315-317 E. Main Street was advertised as “An Institution With An Ideal.” It was listed in several city directories under the classification of a dry goods store, defined as an establishment that sells retail products that do not require refrigeration or freezing to maintain. Many folks will remember this address as the second Woolworth’s site (first store was at 251 E. Main) and the current location of Hands-On Museum.

A 1915 Chamber of Commerce publication contained some glowing comments about the business, which opened just one year before on October 1, 1914: “Johnson City possesses many handsome stores in all lines of trade, but none which can compare in the most attractive and desirable features with that new palace known as The Hart & Houston Store.”