-Chapter IV- TOWNS, COMMUNITIES, AND MILITIA DISTRICTS (1880-1980)
General Merchandise, Food, and Grocery Stores
J. B. Gregory's Market Street
M.D. Jefferson's burned 1927, but rebuilt the next year on same site, across from the courthouse on Third Ave. Quarles & Westfield opened near the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Fort Street in the fall of 1920. Grew from a general merchandise to include two department stores, a grocery, a furniture store, and a tufted bedspread operation (during the 1930's and 1940's). J. M. Quarles was the first owner, assisted by his daughter, Julia Mae. When F.T. Westfield married Miss Quarles, the store's name was changed. Mr. Quarles died in 1950 but the Westfields continued for two more decades when illness forced them to retire. Their daughter, Frances Townsend, operated the stores until they were sold in 1970.
Shelton's Store -1928.
O.L. Leonard's 1920's& 30's.
Clarence Greeson went into business with his uncle in the 1930's and in 1939 bought the business located on Market Street. The business was moved to Second Avenue later and was sold to J.P. Cowart in 1966.
The Home Store - Third Avenue near the old Jefferson Store. Earl Lively was owner. Later operated with Arnold Pittman.
Campbells Grocery -1940.
J&C Grocery-1949.
J.V. Greeson's -north Fourth Avenue.
Chatsworth Cash Produce by H.H. Leonard succeeded by Moore's Grocery.
Red's Grocery - Second Avenue, operated by Red Baggett.
S.J. Rogers Store - Second Avenue - building later sold to Westfield's.
J.L. Parker's Store.
Hufstetler's - north 411 later first home of Piggly Wiggly (1970's), adjoining Sallie's Gift and Variety Store, operated by Sallie Wilbanks.
411 Grocery and Service Station, south of town.
Shop Rite Foot Store (1962), once located in Murray Plaza, now on North Third Ave.
Dry Goods/Department Stores
The Bargain Store - Third Avenue.
Lays' 5 & 10 also Third Avenue.
Baxter & Ruth Lay Department Store - Third Avenue.
Oscher's "Ready-to-Wear" opened 1939.
Cox's - Second Avenue
The Fashion Shop operated by Myrtle Heartsell. Jerri-Lynn Shop, Fashion Vine, Jo and Jen's Tots and Teens -1954
Miss Bill Anderson and Mis. W.A. West Dress Shop - 1929
Bates-Pendley Department Store sold to the Terrys in 1922 where Kenner and Raushenberg opened a store in 1932,
Dixie Dime - once in Murray Plaza, now near Shop Rite.
Bill's. Goody's, and Dollar General Stores.
Butler's Men's Store
Carol's Fashions
Ledford's Men's Shop
Hardware/Furniture
F'red Brown and Son - began in Eton but moved to Third Avenue in 1945. Three generations of the family have operated the store-Fred, Frederick, and Greg.
Ball Furniture - 1939
Wilbur Jackson Radio (1939), Furniture 1940.
Floyd Wilbanks and C.B. Honey - a longtime Chatsworth business.
Chatsworth Cabinet & Supply - 1946 - once owned by Odell Ingle, now B&S.
Peden Supply in Murray Plaza
Bradley Builders - Second Avenue
Neil Ingle Hardware - 1978, Murray Plaza
The Furniture Place - norlh Third Avenue
Otaseo - once on Third Avenue downtown, now near Shop Rite. Paul and Mildred Hunt were long-time operators.
A&C Hardware - operated by Ralph Ausrnus on north Third Avenue. Western Auto in Murray Plaza
Transportation/Communication
Luke Cox and T.L. Gregory owned the Ford Dealership and operated Chatsworth Garage for many years. Located on Third Avenue, the same building was used by the Mullinaxes, Wyatt and Jeff, in the Ford business until a few years ago.
Chatsworth Auto & Machinery Co. - Dodges - 1919
Smith Treadwel! Garage - 1919-22.
Ed Warmack Garage - West Fort Street, a long-time repair shop and a favorite place for children to get bicycles repaired.
Cox and Waters Garage - 1930 Moreland Chevrolet - 1936 Holmes Chevrolet-1935
Pinson Motors - J948, now Pinson Tire, Second Avenue
Mosteller-Cox Chevrolet - 1962, later just Mosteller's and then Pye's, followed by Ken Headrick - on north Third Avenue.
Gus Thomas Garage
Chatsworth Auto Parts operated by Buddy Wilbanks on south Third Avenue
Harts Automotive once on Third Avenue, now on Cherokce Street. Otis Johnson and Billy Ledford have been long-time employees.
B&B Body Shop on south Third Avenue, owned by Bill & Barney Elrod
F'ort Mountain Tire, north Third Avenue
Babb's Body Shop, south Second Avenue
Choate's (later Stewart's) Truck Shop -north 411
Chatsworth-Dalton Bus Line begun by Luke Cox after 1917. Henry "Jitney" Bramblett drove the route for many years. In the 1930's through the 1970's major bus lines stopped in Chatsworth with the office located on the southwest comer of Third and Cherokee for some years.
Campbell's Garage - west of town on Highway 52.
Among the various taxi services which have operated in Chatsworth have been Terminal Taxi (1945). Cohutta Cabs (1946), W.W. Hix Taxicabs (1953), H&H Cabs (1953), City Cab Co. (1955). and Heansell Bagwell's.
The Chatsworth Telephone Company was chartered in 1922 although it had been organized some time before. Jessie Wilson and Myrtle Fincher were early operators in the office located next door to the Wilson House on Second Avenue. Officers in 1929 were president, R.H. Bradley; vice-president, V.C. Pickering. and secretary-treasurer, T.W, Brooks. The next year the company was sold to the Dalton business but the Chatsworth office is slill on the same site. The dial telephone system came in the 1940's and in the early 70's direct long-distance service began.
Radio and television came to Chatsworth in the 1970's. WQMT, 99.3 FM, began broadcasting from Fort Mountain in 1976. Calvin Means was manager. The next year Carmen Trevitt received the Cablevision franchise. Cable service extends outside Chatsworth to county residents.
Hotels/Motels
Chatsworth's first hotel was the DeSoto. named for the Spanish explorer whose soldiers were the first white people to see Murray County. Located on Third Avenue near Fort Street, the DeSoto was built by the Chatsworth Land Company. The first managers were Mr. & Mrs. Ed Johnson. Mr. & Mrs. Alvin Jones then purchased the hotel from the company and operated the business until 1945 except for a brief period when a Mrs. Hyatt from Ellijay ran it. In 1945 Mr. & Mrs. Jones sold the property to Kenemer Brothers who then sold it to First Baptist Church. The church used the hotel as an education building until 1955. The present sanctuary was built on the former hotel site.
Another landmark was the Wright Hotel on the northeast corner of Market Street and Second Avenue. This hotel was built in 1908-09 by Thomas and Laura Holbrooks Wright. with assistance from Mr. Wright's cousin, Thomas Banks, a builder-architect from Cleveland, Tennessee. "The Wright Hotel was built in a thriving rural community as a spa for Northerners and Southerners coming in the summer to drink the mineral waters, enjoy the cool mountain breezes, and indulge in home-cooking," according to one writer.
In preparation for the actual construction of the building. Mr. Wright rented the Brick Plant from Mr. Pendley for one year to make the unique soft rose-colored bricks. He then cut heart pine from the trees on his Holly Creek farm and let it cure a year before sawing the lumber for the three-story, 17-room hotel with a 10-foot foundation. Servants' quarters and a pump house were northeast of the hotel which covers about 'A acre of ground. The floors are tongue-and-groove and the walls are wooden lath with plaster.
The Wrights operated the business for many years except in 1915 when Mr. & Mrs. W.A. Spencer leased the hotel while Mrs. Wright was ill. Many famous Georgians visited the hotel including politicians Hoke Smith and Gordon Lee. Local residents crowded the dining room during court week while industrialists and businessmen visited frequently.
Mr. Wrighl died in 1925. He had been baptized in a 6-foot bathtub in the hotel a short time before. Following Mrs. Wright's death in 1948 the hotel was leased to Lester Quarles and then to the Keeters until the mid-1960's. During this era the business was re-named Chatsworth Hotel. In 1969 Mr.& Mrs. Wright's daughter, Kate Raine, returned to the old home. After restoring the house, "Miss Kate" restored it with original pieces and many examples of Indian crafts accumulated during her years as a health nurse in the Southwest. Although the hotel became her home and a showplace of antiques, Mrs. Raine continued to rent rooms.
The hotel was the site for the Whit field-Murray Historical Society's Christmas Holiday House in 1979 and in 1982 the Wright Hotel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Special ceremonies and an open house were held in August to commemorate the event.
During the Florida land boom of the 1920's plans were made for a grand resort hotel east of Chatsworth, south of Highway 52, On April 8, 1926 The Chatsworth Times gave this account of the event:
On Monday of this week ground was broken at Mount Vista for the "Mount Vista Lodge Hotel," which, when completed, will be the only hotel of its kind, constructed entirely of solid logs, in this section of the United States.
This new summer resort hotel will be a commodious and convenient hostelry, with every appointment for the comfort and convenience of the guests. The building will be 120 feet long by 60 feet wide, and two stories high.
On the first floor will be located four parlor rooms, two on each side of the ball room, with lounging rooms for both men and women. The lobby, running across one end of this floor, will be 25 by 40 feet, and the dining room, at the other end, of the same dimensions. The ball room, 25 by 75 feet, will have at each end a large fire place, 5 by 4 feet, 36 inches deep.
The second floor will contain fourteen small and four large guest rooms, with glass window's in an unbroken line entirely around the building.
A 10-foot promenading veranda will completely encircle the hotel.
The building will be constructed of solid logs on a rock foundation and will be covered with wood shingles. The kitchen will be located in the basement.
The hotel will be equipped with electric lights, running water, toilets and baths.
The construction work is under the supervision of Mr. H.L. Hutchison, mariage: of Mount Vista. Mr. C.C. Reetz, owner and developer of the property, slated this week to a representative of The Times that the hotel would be ready for guests in June.
A week later The Times reported that "Quite a number of young people went to Mount Vista Sunday and had the privilege of being the first to eat at the new hotel being erected."
The Mount Vista project was not completed, but other motels came to Chatsworth. The J.Fletcher Charles Tourist Camp was located north of town in the 1930's and in the 1950's Fort View, Chief Vann, and Adco Motels were established. Today, the oldest inn is the Colonial Pines, located south of town. Longtime owners Mr. & Mrs. Jack Cole give this story of this motel:
In 1945 The Pines Motel and Restaurant was purchased from Tom Moreland who owned the property, but who had it leased to Willard Adcock. Since the Coles had a business elsewhere. The Pines was operated by others until 1947 when Mrs. Cole came to Chatsworth, built a new dining room, and replaced the crude furnishings in the rooms. The Coles saw great potential for the town and asked the townspeople to organize a Chamber of Commerce. Tourism seemed to pick up; more motels built and additional improvements were made at the new Colonial Pines. In 1970 the restaurant burned and a nearby service station was converted into a restaurant now called Edna's.
Financial Institutions
The Bank of Chatsworth and a Georgia State Bank were the oldest financial institutions in the town. Both were taken over by Cohutta Banking Company, which is now Murray County's oldest business. The following history of the Cohutta was compiled during the grand opening of its fourth facility in 1973:
The Cohutta Banking Company began business in Spring Place, then the county seat of Murray County, in 1905. The Bank was organized by M.C. Horton, G.W. Arrowood and M.W. Shields. The original charter specified a capital of $25,000 with $15,000 paid in at the start. The first Board of Directors was composed of M.C. Horton. chairman, W.C. Martin, C.C. Keith. S.M. Carter. O.E. Horton, J.L. Rouse, and E.N. Whitmire. Officers were M.C. Horton, president; C.N. King, vice-president, and E.N. Whitmire. cashier.
$200.000 capital stock to $323.000 and increasing outstanding shares from 2.000 to 32,500. Par value of stock was reduced from $100 to $10.
The most significant change in capital structure was in April. 1972. when, the par value was reduced from $l0 to $5. The number of outstanding shares was increased to 138,500. thus creating for its first time a capitai structure of over $1.000.000. A stock dividend in February. 1973, created an additional 20,707 shares of stock and brought the capital structure tothe present total of $796.035.00.
Continuous growth and service to this area can be greatly contributed to the stockholders, who now number in excess of 200 compared to 10 in June 1962.
The Bank now has 38 officers and employees while the Market and Third Avenue facility opened in June, 1962 with a total of 9.
Long-time employees R.E. Chambers and Frances Heartsell were honored by the bank in the naming of a committee room (later, a suite of offices) and a community room for them. In 1980 Mr. Chambers became chairman-emeritus and Tom Greeson. his grandson, succeeded him as board chairman. Robert Anderson later succeeded Greeson as president.
The growth of the Cohutta, and the beginning of two branch offices, along with the establishment of other financial institutions reflects the rapid growth of Murray County in recent years. Chatsworth Savings Center, a branch of Dalton Federal, is located on west Fort Street and is now Decatur Federal. Jack Cole has headed this operation for some time.
In 1975 the First National Bank of Chatsworth opened on North Third Avenue. Directors of this successful venture are James R. Gregory (chairman). Paul Ross (president), J. Roland Harbin, James H. Phillips, Odell Ingle, Wyatt A. Mullinax, Carlton A. Petty, and J. Hoyle Lents. Original employees were Mr. Ross, Andrew B. Becton (vice-president), Ted Welch, Ann Childers, Wanda Bailey, Kay Plemons, Lennie Babb, Barbara McMillan, Nancy Faw, and Sue Wilson. Charles Etheridge, Dan Townsend, and others have joined the staff of this "home owned" financial institution."
R.A. Graves, John Springfield, Jess Ledford, J.P. Tarpley (19*5-85 on Market Street), and Gene McEntire's in Murray Plaza.
Lawyers
R.N. Steed, H.H. Anderson, C.N. King, Jesse M. Sellers, Sam "Pete" Calhoun, J. Paxon Amis, Charles A. Pannell, Sr., J.W. Yarbrough, Bill Keith, Dean Donehoo, Mike Moldaveri, Jerry Lifsey, and Nancy Calhoun.
The Medical Profession
Medical Doctors - E.H. Dickie (1913): R.H. Bradley (1914); Thomas E. Green (1909); Charlie Russell; Ira Willis Ballard (1935); James N. Mullins (1948); D.D. Rea (1938); Robert I-;. Burton (1913); E..M. Townsend (1916);Willard P. Carson (1950);W.G. Petty (1957): Dr. Carey (1960's); Otis Walker (1963); Harry Johnstun; F.Q. Ramos; Edwin Hugh Braswell (1975); Elmo Tamayo (1976); Romulo Morales (1976); Wilma S- Tamayo (1979; O'Neal Sutler.
Dentists - R.R. Hightower (1915); J.C. Yancey (1916); B.B. Vandergriff (1918); Stanton Jones (1927); Theodore Bayless (1929); E.R. Munfotd (1922); J.A. Moore; J.H. Feagan; S,C. Morgan (1925); Frcd Q. Holweger; Charles Clark.
Optometry - W.S. Lents (1917); Oscar Crow.
Chiropractic - Donald Jane way (1955);John M. Smith (1978).
Druggists - H.P. Kitchens (1921). Market Street & Third Avenue, Fincher Drug, across from the courthouse; Chatsworth Drug, Johnny Cochran & Tom Graves on Third Avenue; Corner Drug, Roland Harbin, a successor to H.P. Kitchens; M.L. Carpenter who began what is now Carlton Peoples' Pharmacy in Murray Plaza (this drug store had the last soda fountain in Chatsworth which closed in 1983 after 20 years of operation).
Early Textile Businesses
Chatsworth Spreads. 1938.
Crown Craft Inc. (1941-85). Began in a tin building south of the post office on Fourth Avenue. Sidney Quitman of Philadelphia was owner. The company then moved to the Rogers Building on Second Avenue and then across the street where the Frank McCartys had begun another chenille business in 1942. In the 1950's Crown expanded until it covered most of the block between Market and Fort east of Second Avenue-
Southern, Osher and Powell Matress Factories all operated in the 1940's.
Chatsworth Manufacturing, 1944.
Cook and Francine Chenille, 1946
Mountain View Clienille, 1946
Boyles Rug Co., 1951
Grace Rug Co., 1952
Other Businesses
Georgia, Southern, and Fort Mountain (1912) Talc Companies
Chatsworth Milling Co.- AT. Cochran -1919
Empire Talc &. Lumber Co, (1916) owned by Farrars and then J.T. Dillard (1928). Later became the Moraine Box Company (out of Dayton, Ohio)
Cohutta Lumber Co. asked for a charter in 1921. It was composed of W.B. Townsend and Hugh Burke of Knoxville, J.W. Self and R. Noel Steed of Murray County.
Fort Mountain Lumber Co. (1934) replacing the BoxCompany's work at Empire. George Miers was manager and R.L. Killin was superintendent.
Chatsworth Lumber Co. (1936)
Chatsworth Manufacturing (1938) - a machine shop noted for production of air craft parts during World War II.
Chatsworth Broilers & Feed (1951)
Chatsworth "Co-Op" now Farm Supply
Brown Coal Co. once on Market Street, now on Fourth Avenue
Robert Dickie Coal Co.
Keith Feed and Poultry (1953) Murray County Frozen Food Locker Plant (1946)
Cohutta Amusements (1948)
Chatsworth Jewelers owned and operated by the Satterfield family in Murray Plaza.
Jim Arrowood Blacksmith Shop on Second Avenue in 1927.
Hampton Shoe Shop, Chatsworth Bootery, and Ledford's Shoes.
W.S. Lents-Jeweler
Insurance Agencies -
T.W. Brooks (1910), Gerald & Jerry Leonard, John Kenemer State Farm, Billy Townsend and others Georgia Farm Bureau, and Del Richards.
Dry Cleaners -
Ben Leonard's, Fort View Cleaners on Fourth Avenue operated by James and Dixie Jones, Chatsworth Cleaners (1939), M&M Cleaners (1949) and Cherokee Cleaners on Second Avenue operated by the Rosses.
Bookkeepers and Accountants -
Cathryn Wilbanks, Luther Carter, and Benny Huggins.
Others
Parks Adams, the ice-man, was a well-known Chatsworth figure.
Owens Heating, Chatsworth Plumbing & Electric (1945), Chatsworth Appliance (194S), Grant Plumbing and Electric, Kilgore Radio & Television (in Southgate), Larry's Entertainment (in Southgage), Sound Around Tape Center (at Fort and Fourth operated by Danny and Janice Leonard).
Southgate Sporting Goods.
Chatsworth Sporting Goods (Market Street)
Food Center, Revco Drugs, and Family Dollar Store in Southgate
Ingle's Food Store and Revco west of town on Highway 76.
Fun City on South Third Avenue and Roller-Go Skating Rink on Highway 76.
Fort Theater on Third Avenue was a long-time landmark before it closed about 1970.
Parker & Bray Studio over Leonard's Store (1930, A&A Photographic Service, 1953
Ben's "Tuffs and Fluffs" - 1946;
Playland - 1941
Elite Printing once on Second Avenue and now on Third in the former Mullinax Ford Building.
Real Estate Agents -
Logan Brothers (1919), Chatsworth Real Estate (1954), and in more recent years, Dangler, Tartan, and Century 21.
Ten-tex Machine Shop - Second Avenue and Chetokee Street. Charles A, Riedell and a Mr. Dunn had a "Peddler's License" in 1910.
Florists -
Rogers' Flower Shop was on west Fort Street, Paula's is on Third Avenue, and Gary Green's City Florist on South Third Avenue is famous for its collection of Madame Alexander dolls (Madame Alexander visited Chatsworth in 1984),
Pin Cushion Cloth Store
Fort Mountain Office Supply and Chatsworth Office Supply
Funeral Directors -
Luke Kenemer operated a Chatsworth branch of Kenemer Brothers Funeral Home around 1927. Dick Kenemer later began another Kenemer funeral business in the former McGinty residence on Fort Street. Following Mr. Kenemer's death Hershel Penland operated Kenemer Memorial Funeral Home for a few years before changing the name to Penland. In 1976 he sold the business to Jesse Jones, a former Kenemer employee, who runs the business with his son, Tony.
Fred Brown of Eton became a licensed funeral director in 1925 and in 1941 moved the business to Chatsworth where his son Frederick operated the business with the family's assistance for some years. In 1965 the Brown's sold the business to the Peeples brothers. Since then Johnny and Frances Peeples have expanded the former Brown building.
Recreation
Frontier lands opened on Fort Mountain, north of Highway 52 in 1973. Governor Lester Maddox attended the opening ceremonies for the short-lived amusement park.
Restaurants
Among the early food service establishments in Chatsworth were J.M. Bagley (1924), R.H. Shelton's, Mix's Chatsworth Cafe (across from the courthouse, 1948), Blue Goose Cafe (1929), Stewart's, LAM, Bus Terminal Cafe (1937), and 411 Cafe (1948). Torn-Ann's, operated by Mrs. Miriam Maddox, was a popular eating place for several years. Kin's was begun by "Kin" Keeter in 1954 near the southern edge of town. The name has remained the same through several ownerships, including that of Barney and Maurine Elrod. Marvin and Edna Blackwell operated Edna's Cafeteria on Second Avenue for many years. They retired but later opened another Edna's on Highway 411 South. It is one of the area's most famous restaurants. Fort View and the Village Cafeteria have been stand-bys for many years while The Creme Hut and The Press Box are popular also. Barney's and the Big-V (owned by Billy and Betty Vick) were popular drive-ins. The Chicken Hut, Pizza Hut and The Biscuit Box are well known for their specialties. Tastee-Freeze was the first of the fast-food chains to come to Chatsworth. James and Clara Thomason were the first operators. McDonald's opened in 1983, shortly after Hardees. Both are on Highway 411 North.
Murray County Heritage