Thoroughly modern buildings house the consolidated schools in each township of the county. The educational life of Wilson has been one of steady progress under the leadership for two decades of the late Dr. In November, 1928, the new Post Office and United States Court House was dedicated. In 1926, Wilson dedicated with appropriate ceremony the handsome one-half million dollar Court House. West Nash Street has been selected by many as one of the ten most outstanding places of beauty in North Carolina. Wilson is known far and wide as a town of beauty, particularly in its residential section. Since the 1890's, the population of Wilson has steadily increased until today it is the trading center for a population three times larger than the actual population of Wilson, which is approximately 15,000. The annual average profit is about $150,000.00, which is turned over to the public treasury for the relief of the taxpayers, giving Wilson a very low rate of taxation. The water works, the electric light plant, and the gas works, combined, today have a property value of about one and a half million dollars. From that time until now our municipally owned utilities have been a source of constant pride, commercial progress, and help toward tax relief to the citizens of Wilson. The water works were started with a bond issue of $60,000.00 in 1893. The lights were turned on during the following year. It was begun in 1892 through a bond issue of $15,000.00. The electric light plant was the first utility established. The fourth thing that happened in the 1890-1900 decade to influence the growth and progress of Wilson was the establishment by the town of its first public utilities. Now, by having access to the Port at Norfolk and the Capital at Raleigh, by means of the Norfolk-Southern as well as connection north and south, Wilson was in a much better commercial strategic position. The Atlantic Coast Line had, from the day of the incorporation of the town, given service north and south. Third, one of the most important things that happened in 1890-1900 was the building of the Norfolk-Southern railway, giving this town modern connection and transportation east and west. Wagon manufacturing, cotton mills and the making of cigarettes were all started in this decade. The second thing of importance in this decade was the beginning of the industrial and manufacturing development of the town which was then begun. During the 44 years that the Wilson tobacco market has been running, it has not only attained eminence by being the largest in the world for the sale of flue-cured tobacco, but justly claims to be the most efficient market of any tobacco belt. The growth of the town may be dated from this first tobacco sale. From the beginning, Wilson proved popular as a tobacco market. It proved quite successful both from the standpoint of being a convenience to the farmers who had heretofore sold their tobacco in Rocky Mount and other centers, and also as a business enterprise for the owners. But during the decade 1890-1900, several events of historic importance took place, which had a great influence on the growth and the importance of the town.įirst, in 1890, the first tobacco warehouse was built in Wilson. The town from its incorporation in 1849, when it was just a crossroads, until about 1890, made a very slow growth. The county was early divided into ten townships for the purpose of organizing school districts. The town of Wilson is situated near the center of the county. Wilson, long a member of the Senate from Edgecombe, and a volunteer in the Mexican War, where he died of fever. It later became the county seat of Wilson County, which was created by an act of the Legislature in 1855, from portions of Edgecombe, Nash, Johnston and Wayne counties. The town of Wilson was incorporated by the General Assembly of North Carolina on January 29, 1849. The man for whom Wilson County was named.
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