From the archives: The 1950s in the Lynchburg area
From the The Decades Series: Photos of the Lynchburg area from the '50s, '60s, '70s and more series
The 1950s were a boom time for construction in Lynchburg, when the Hill City saw the building of a new E.C. Glass High School and the Preston Glenn airport, the founding of Thomas Road Baptist Church, and other projects. This decade also saw the deadly storm of August 1958 that claimed two lives. In this gallery from The News & Advance's archives, you'll find scenes from those events as well many photos looking back at daily life in the '50s.
1950s - Altavista's Burlington Mills Finishing plant
1945-50 - The view of downtown from White Rock Hill.
Jan. 7, 1950 - Big Island High School
March 11, 1950 - Original Text: Bird's eye view of the excavation at Tenth and Church streets which almost became the arena of tragedy yesterday when a huge slice of cliff paralleling Tenth Street (right) unexpectedly dis-lodged and crushed a diesel shovel. Henry A. Mitchell, who had just finished working for the day and was about to leave the crane, was knocked unconscious and temporarily trapped inside the machine. Some of the hundreds of curious onlookers can be seen in the pit. Other spectators gathered along Tenth Street, or peered from windows of the health bureau office.
April 10, 1950 - 6th and Commerce streets
The original text from this April 24, 1950 photograph read: Community House Vanishing — A treasure of nostalgic memories for many Lynchburgers, the old Community House in Miller Park is being demolished by workers from the parks and recreation department. Formerly used as a forestry exhibit building, it was converted to a community house in 1919. The residence of the late George Reed, former park superintendent for more than 30 years, will become a new community house.
First National Bank 10th and Main Street. This photo is dated May 19, 1950. There is an all-brick BB&T bank on this location today.
June 25, 1950 - Eagle's Eyrie
August 3, 1950 - Williams Viaduct with heavy traffic looking toward Amherst.
August 31, 1950 - A view of the new Schewel Furniture Store at 11th & Main Streets in downtown Lynchburg.
A woman looks at construction work underway at a lot on Church Street as she climbs the stairs toward 10th Street in the 1950s. At that time, the Bureau of Health could be accessed by the stairs heading up that hill.
Altavista's Broad Street in the 1950s.
1950s Bedford
1950s Commerce Street
1950s - Cars line Court Street at its intersection with 12th Street.
1950s - Aerial of downtown, looking down 7th Street toward the James River.
1950s - Dunbar High School
The original text of this photograph from the 1950s read: “To be Demolished -- The Carroll Hotel building, constructed about 65 years ago at the corner of Eighth and Main Streets, will be torn down and the site used by Miller and Rhoads for a modern one-story and basement struc-ture, which is expected to house a restaurant and offices.” The building was demolished in 1959.
A view down 9th Street from Monument Terrace. Judging by the tail fins on some of those cars, it seems to be from the late 1950s or early 1960s.
1950s Lynchburg's Main Street
A 1950s view of Main Street west from 9th Street.
Undated photo, likely from the 1950s, of Mount Athos before Babcock & Wilcox moved in.
The Miller Home looms in the background as workers lay asphalt for the new Sears Roebuck & Co. store in Lynchburg in the late 1950s. The Miller Home was demolished in 1959, making way for Pittman Plaza.
1951 - Dunbar High School band
1951 - A man uses a horse-drawn carriage to carry flowers for sale in Madison Heights.
July 20, 1951 - Fire damages parts of E.C. Glass High School while it is being built (there was no clipping associated with this photo, so there are no details about the fire, its cause or extent).
Dec. 5, 1951 - Original text: The Big Freeze -- A thick ice coating decorated a substantial area of Lynchburg's lower Main Street yesterday as water froze as fast as firemen played it on roaring flames that wrecked right stores and caused loss estimated in excess of two million dollars.
1952 - Barnum & Bailey Circus rolls into Lynchburg
1953 - Madison Heights
1953 - U.S. 29 in Madison Heights
July 7, 1953 - Foundations Rise for the 1,541-foot Carter Glass Memorial Bridge which will span the James between the new distribution highway coming from Madison Heights over the Norfolk and Western, Southern and C&O tracks. It will cost $770,400, including engineering and work performed by the railroads. Construction is by the T.A. Loving Co. of Goldsboro. N.C.
July 10, 1953 - Original text: California, here we come -- This sea of happy faces is a railroad car full of Lynchburg and area Boy Scouts who left yesterday afternoon for the 1953 National Jamboree in Santa Ana, Calif. July 17-24 ... And on the station platform, as the special train pulled away, were parents, relatives and friends of the Scouts, who appeared as happy about the trip as the boys were themselves.
November 1953 - St. Domingo School in Madison Heights. Original text accompanying photo of the outside of school building: Amherst Conditions -- Within 10 miles of one of the most elaborate school buildings in the nation squats this example of one of the other extremes in American education. This is St. Domingo School on Rt. 672. It has been condemned as unsafe for human use by the Amherst County Sanitarian T.D. Lewis in his annual report on Amherst schools. ... Lewis found serious fault with over half of the county's 25 schools.
November 1953 - St. Domingo School in Madison Heights Original Text: The one-room building is heated by this Burnside coal heater, being stoked by students Elonzo Scott, left with Lloyd Banks. For water there is a cooler with several glasses. Note the water-can humidifier behind the stovepipe.
December 1953. A view from the Allied Arts Building looking toward Court Street.
1954 - Bedford's Bicentennial Parade
1954 - Bedford's Bicentennial Parade
1954 - Bedford's Bicentennial Parade
1954 - Bedford's Bicentennial Parade
1954 - Bedford's Bicentennial Parade
1954 Bedford's Bicentenniel Parade
August 27, 1954 - Prize Project - A recent aerial photograph shows the expansive layout at the new E.C. Glass High School, listed by school authorities in their annual report as an outstanding accomplishment.
Dec. 5, 1954 - A fire damages stores in the 1000 block of Main Street.
1955 Firefighters inspect the damage at the Kinney Educator Shoes store in the 900 block of Main Street.
Snow blanketed the Court Street area in 1955. The city’s courthouse, now the Lynchburg Museum sits on the right side of the photograph.
January 12, 1955 - An aerial view of the Williams Viaduct on a snowy winter day.
April 1, 1955 - Original Text: These Clay Street dwellings at the center of Eighth Street are being torn down to make way for eventual construction of a new parish hall for Holy Cross Catholic Church. Until dwellings for the building can be revised to conform with city setback regulations, it is proposed to use the land as a parking lot for the church if that work is not too expensive for the temporary use. The spire of the church rises in the background.
April 8, 1955 - Original text: Where School House Stood -- Firefighters water down the smoking ruins of a three-room Negro elementary School at Lynch Station, which burned yesterday morning. The occupants -- three teachers and 82 pupils -- were not injured.
April 11, 1955 - Original Text: Historic Site -- These stone ruins located on a mount some 400 feet above the James River at Six Mile Bridge are all that are left of the once noted Mt. Athos, home of two members of the U.S. Congress. It is at Mt. Athos that Babcock and Wilcox Co. plans to erect a plant for the manufacture of nuclear reactor equipment.
Sept. 11, 1955 Original text: Dangerous Intersection -- Youthful school patrol guards guide Madison Heights children across dangerous intersection at Rt. 29 and the entrance to the Lynchburg Expressway. It was at this location a runaway truck smashed into a group of school children last year, severely injuring one. Patrons -- and the State Highway Department -- want an adult traffic guard.
Sept. 23, 1955 - Too Pooped (on) Pop -- It's just too much for Danny Ray Mitchell, 1 1/2 as he sleeps on his father during the sale of tobacco at Planters' Warehouse in Brookneal.
December 1955 - 1000 block of Main Street damaged in a fire.
The original text accompanying this photograph from Dec. 21, 1955 read: “Smoke greets firemen -- Heavy clouds of smoke pour out of entrance to C.R. Kinney Co. Inc., Main Street shoe store yesterday after a fire broke out in the rear of the basement. Smoke, fire and water damage wrecked the footwear shop.”
Downtown Amherst is seen in this image thought to be from about 1956.
1956 - Lynchburg City's fire trucks respond to an incident on 7th Street.
Monument Terrace in 1956.
1956 - Scouts parade in Downtown Lynchburg
1956 - Boy Scouts Parade in downtown Lynchburg.
The 1956 Lynchburg Soap Box Derby race rolled down Bedford Avenue as crowds of spectators lined the sidewalks.
Jan. 26, 1956 - Original text: Here's Progress Report on New YMCA's Views of Lynchburg's new YMCA buildings, now rapidly nearing completion. Top, Central YMCA near 13th and Church Streets and bottom, Hunton Branch, 12th and Taylor Streets.
March 26, 1956 - The 800 block of Church Street in Downtown Lynchburg.
May 2, 1956 - Pearson's Drug Store
June 20, 1956 - Original text: Medical Center Nearing Completion -- Lynchburg's new $4 1/2 million medical center on Langhorne Road approached completion after more than a year's labor by the Virginia Engineering Co. Finishing touches are being applied to interior as workmen rush to complete hospital by September when tentative plans call for transfer of patients and equipment from old hospital on Federal Street. Most grading and entrance and exit highways have been completed.
Aug. 23, 1956 - Lynchburg's water filtration plant
Nov. 1, 1956 - Patrick Henry's Red Hill in Campbell County.
1957 - Dunbar High School was constructed in three principal stages: The North Side in 1928, the South Side in 1940, the East Side in 1957.
1957 - A fire destroys Falwell's Market.
Jan. 28, 1958 - Link Road bridge opened - Link Road's new concrete, two lane bridge will be inspected this afternoon by Public Works Director James D. Wright for acceptance by the city of Lynchburg. New span was built by Donald Selvage of Amherst at a contract price of $29,789.32. Some work remains to be done on approaches to the bridge, Wright said today.
Feb. 18, 1957 - Original Text: Pat Hamilton, three-time holder of the state women's archery championship, is shown preparing to loft an arrow on the final go-round at yesterday's Walton Park Invitational Archery shoot. Watching (l. to r.) are Norval White of Lynchburg; Bill Berry of Lynchburg, Clay Dillon of Roanoke and Preston Hundley or Lynchburg.
March 15, 1957 - Ronald Reagan in downtown Lynchburg.
April 23, 1957 - Original text: Annexation returns to courtroom -- Key figures in Lynchburg's suit to annex territory from Campbell and Bedford counties confer yesterday as case reopened in Campbell County Courthouse at Rustburg after a six-month recess. Shown, left to right, are Harry Frazier and Archibald G. Robertson, attorneys representing Campbell County; Attorney Cecil W. Taylor; Lynchburg City Manager Robert D. Morrison, and W. Martin Johnson of Wiley & Wilson, local engineering firm.
May 30, 1957. William (Bill) Boyd, 102, is shown in wheelchair recently on the lawn of Elks National Home. He was serenaded there during Christmas week by carolers from St John's Episcopal Church which he attended regularly until a year ago.
June 24, 1957 - First Christian Church at the intersection of 5th and Main Street. The church was destroyed by fire two years after this photograph.
Aug. 7, 1957 - Lynchburg's Main Street
August 27, 1957. Woodrow Harris, left and Earl Clay as the last two employees of Bates Industries here yesterday, pull spindles of cotton from a "warper." As the plant closed operations, officials said building and machinery were up for sale.
Sep. 13, 1957 - Point of Honor Renovation - Parks-recreation department is beginning complete renovation of exterior of Point of Honor community house. Work will be done by parks and forestry crews under direction of Floyd K. McKenna, director of parks-recreation. Point of Honor was deeded to the city of Lynchburg in 1928 and served for years as a recreation center for the neighborhood.
Sept. 30, 1957 - Original Text: Four-Laning Expressway -- Work is well under way on project of adding two lanes to Lynchburg Expressway north from 17th Street and Campbell Avenue to Grace Street interchange. Addition of the two lanes is all part of a project for going under Campbell Avenue and railroad tracks in the vicinity. English Construction Co. of Altavista is the contractor for the job.
Nov. 3, 1957 - New Bridge Shaping Up - This scene shows construction in progress on access road to General Electric Rectifier Plant south of the city and new construction on bridge spanning Southern Railway tracks. Bridge in foreground will replace narrow span at left. In the background earth moving equipment pictured is widening road, State Rt. 128, to accommodate increased volume of traffic to and from plant. This road connects with U.S. 29. GE will employ approximately 800 by the end of the year according to plant spokesman. (This photo is a little difficult to read, but we think it is taken looking toward the Expressway, with Candlers Mountain behind the photographer. To the left is where River Ridge mall will be built.)
The original text accompanying this photo, believed to have been taken in 1958, read “Mickey and the kids – Mickey Mantle, Yankees’ star, poses with this group of autograph-seeking youngsters at yesterday’s washed out exhibition.”
Sept. 3, 1958 - Court Street United Methodist Church
The original text with this photograph from 1958 read: “Dairy barns remodeled -- Remodeling of three farm buildings at Lynchburg Training School and Hospital is well under way by C.H. Hancock & Sons, Inc. When completed, the buildings will house ambulatory patients. … Buildings at right are being remodeled as dormitories, offices and day rooms.”
1958 - Landmark Topples -- Charred walls of Holcomb Rock's closed C&C depot were pulled down by railroad employees after early Friday morning fire had practically destroyed the building.
This 1958 photograph shows the now demolished Rivermont Pharmacy that stood to the right of the fire station.
The original text from this photograph from 1958 read: “New Sears, Roebuck & Co. Store Opened -- One of the city's highlights during the year was the opening, late in August, of the new $1,250,000 Sears, Roebuck & Co. store on Memorial Avenue. Hundreds of area shoppers thronged to the site as Mayor John L. Suttenfield snipped the ribbon marking the official open-ing. The modern building contains a gross area of 68,000 square feet and has 150 regular employees.”
Jan. 6, 1958: (Original caption) - This building, now under construction, is the new auditorium and Sunday School department of Thomas Road Baptist Church being erected at a cost of approximately $38,000. W.T. Keen is the contractor and it is hoped the building will be completed by Feb. 15.
1958 Original Text: To Dedicate Sanctuary -- The newly completed sanctuary of Thomas Road Baptist Church, above, will be formally dedicated at services Sunday. The completely modern building was recently completed at a cost of approximately $38,000.
Jan. 16, 1958 - Link Road bridge about ready - Link Road bridge over Ivy Creek is just about completed, Public Works Director James D. Wright said today. The $32,000 two-lane span is being built by Donald Selvage Construction Company of Amherst. All concrete is poured. All that remains is backfilling, painting and fixing the approaches.
March 22, 1958: City Manager Robert D. Morrison (center) is shown receiving a check for $10,000 from Jesse W. Dillon of the State Corporation Commission representing the state's first payment on its $60,000 contribution to the $278,000 development program for Preston Glenn Airport.
May 15, 1958 - Campbell Avenue cut-through - Campbell Avenue is now closed to traffic in the vicinity of 17th Street, where Lynchburg Expressway is being pushed southward under the thoroughfare. The picture here shows conditions at the cut under Campbell Avenue and was taken from underneath the Norfolk and Western Railway overpass.
May 15, 1958 - Air Force base on Apple Orchard Mountain in Bedford County.
May 22, 1958 Original text: That Light's Back -- After absence of nearly six years, traffic signal has been restored at 10th and Church streets. Signal was taken down in 1952, was put back by Council order mainly to aid pedestrian crossings and in anticipation of increased traffic.
May 25, 1958 - Cloverleaf taking shape - Aerial view of cloverleaf being built at intersection of Lynchburg Expressway and Rt. 128, industrial road leading to General Electric Rectifier Plant adjoining Fort Hill. (This photo is hard to orient but we think it looks northeast with the future locations for the mall and the new Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University, just out of the picture to the right)
July 25, 1958 - Part of the heavy equipment used by the 610th Tank Battalion of the Army Reserve from Lynchburg area.
August 16, 1958 - Lightning Strikes Twice - While it is said lightning never strikes twice in the same place, at least the water does in the case of Lipscomb Motor Sales, 2414 Fort Ave. Four or five weeks ago, a heavy rain downed the retaining wall at the establishment, and last evening's cloudburst finished off the replacement. Damage to the wall, automobiles parked along side and the office building is estimated at $5,000.
August 16, 1958 - Storm Damage - Trees and shrubbery on Murrell Road were damaged to a considerable extent during the course of yesterday's cloudburst. Most of the damage was the result of the high winds that accompanied the torrential rain.
Aug. 16, 1958 - Mailbox Victim - This automobile struck a mailbox on Wright Shop Road about 2:15 a.m. today. Driver of the 1951 sedan, in which there were three other occupants, was Charles H. Boaz, 32, of Madison Heights. The driver and passengers suffered lacerations and abrasions and were taken to Lynchburg General Hospital, where they were treated and released.
Aug. 16, 1958 - Muddy Water - Jefferson Park swimming pool was reported to be more than a third full of mud as a result of a cave-in of the bank to the east. A tree also fell into the pool during the course of last night's cloudburst. Recreation Department Director Floyd McKenna said that it would be at least 10 days before the pool could be reopened.
Aug. 16, 1958 - Narrow Escape - Mr. and Mrs. James C. Curling, 240 Bell St., went to the basement of their home at the height of yesterday's storm and cloudburst, figuring the basement to be the safest place. They had just gone upstairs, when the foundation walls of the house collapsed, piling loose dirt and mud into the basement.
Aug. 16, 1958 - Automobile Smashed - This foreign make automobile was crushed as a retaining wall at the rear of a television service establishment at Park Ave., and Buchanan toppled as a result of last evening's cloudburst. Charles Hough Jr., owner of the vehicle estimated the damage at $1,700.
Aug. 16, 1958 - Rescue - Life Crew Member Kimball Glass rescues child in 900 block of Madison Street during Friday night's flood.
Aug 16, 1958 Forces of the Public Service Department were having a busy day today as an aftermath of last night's cloudburst. Shown here is dirt being dumped below the surface of Hollins Mill Road to prevent the thoroughfare from caving in.
Aug. 17, 1958 - Lightning Did It - Bolt struck this tree, loaded with pears, and toppled it against rear of home of C.L. Miles, 1113 Monroe St. Mrs. Miles looks at wreckage.
Aug 18, 1958 - Firemen still busy - Lynchburg firemen are being kept busy pumping out basements flooded during Friday night's storm. Shown here working the hose is C.N. McBride, a fireman for 22 years. As late as Saturday night calls to pump out basements were dribbling in to Central Fire Headquarters. With some 30 pumped-out basements behind them, firemen still have about 25 more to do.
Sep. 9, 1958 -Carving through Locke Mountain - Carving a new highway down Locke Mountain required this tremendous fill (top), nearly 50 feet above the existing Rt. 501 at right. The new route leads out of sight of the present highway and will cut out several curves. Construction is being done by Turner Brothers Construction Co. of Salem. A completion date has been tentatively set for March 1959. Bottom photo: Blasting a highway through a mountain results in this huge pile of broken rock which must be loaded and hauled away. The new route required cutting through a peak of solid rock. The bed of the highway is shown in the background. It curves around the hill and straightens out to lead into the present highway at the foot of the mountain. (This photo is taken from Eagle Eyrie looking toward Lynchburg.)
Sept. 25. 1958 - Original text: Shaking event -- More than 100 participants remained in hula hoop marathon after first hour had passed. Over 500 started. During first hour, the hoopsters were allowed to stand and twirl their hoops to music. Afterwards, they were required to perform a number of tricks, on being walking around the track with their revolving hoops. The marathon, sponsored by city recreation department and held Wednesday at Municipal Stadium, lasted 1 hour 37 minutes.
Oct. 30, 1958 - Three police officers, assigned to patrol and inspect E.C. Glass High School following two recent bomb scares, arrive at the school this morning to take up their duties.
November 1958, Main Street. That's the old Millners department store on the right, next to F.W. Woolworth's.
Nov. 20, 1958 Original text: Mr. Old Dominion Candidates -- These four Lynchburg men will compete for the title of Mr. Old Dominion at the Lynchburg Central YMCA on Saturday night. Left to right are Wesley Sligh, Cabell Reese, Calvin Clemmons and Jerald Reed. Reese holds three of this year's titles, Mr. Virginia, Mr. Health and Mr. Tidewater. Clemmons, Reid and Slign finished behind Reese in that order in the Mr. Virginia contest.
Nov. 20, 1958. Santa came to Lynchburg Wednesday night and upward of 35,000 turned out on Main and Church streets to see him. This view of tremendous crowd -- police called it biggest in their memory -- is reminiscent of Times Square on New Year's Eve.
Nov. 20, 1958. Santa Arrives in Style -- Waving a greeting to some of his estimated 60,000 spectators who turned out for last night's gigantic Christmas parade is Old Saint Nick himself.
Nov. 20, 1958 -- Boy's Best Friend -- No walking for this youngster. He hitched a little red wagon to his dog and took the easy way out. The unidentified tyke scored with the smaller set who squealed with delight as he passed by.
Nov. 20, 1958 -- Parade goers watch the action from the windows of the offices of The Lynchburg News and Daily Advance in downtown Lynchburg.
Dec. 9, 1958 - New dual lane opened - Both eastbound and westbound lanes on Timberlake Road have been opened for traffic from Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church to near Timberlake. Several tidying-up jobs are in the process of being completed - building up shoulders, top-soiling, seeding and paving some gutters. The project extends from Lynchburg city limits 5.84 miles west and was built at a cost of $1,102,748.38.
Dec. 11, 1958 - Main line will be switched - The Norfolk & Western Railway's main line will soon be switched from the tracks in the foreground to the new span (background) over the Expressway between James and Gordon Streets. All that remains of the original ridge on which the tracks were laid are two log-encased dirt piers which will soon be torn down. The tracks rest on these log pilings which were sunk into the ground before the excavation was begun.
1959 - Aerial of the Dearington area.
1959 - Aerial of the construction of the Dearington housing complex.
1959 - Original text: Expressway opens for traffic -- The multi-million-dollar Lynchburg Expressway went into use today from Rt. 29 South to Rt. 29 North in Madison Heights. Mayor William C. Vaughan and a carload of dignitaries led the first motorcade through the highway. Campbell Avenue overpass and railway overpasses are in the background. At this point, the motorcade is passing over Garfield Street. Minutes after the last barricade was taken down, traffic was reported "heavy" on the new highway.
1959 - S.S. Kresge store in downtown.
1959 - Another Magisterial District? -- Old Madison Heights Sanitary District, origin of growing movement to create fifth magisterial district in Amherst County, occupies center of this aerial photo by Staff Photographer Ronnie Wells. At left edge of photo is Williams Viadust; Lynchburg Expressway curves up from Carter Glass Memorial Bridge at right edge.
1959 - Original Text: Another Magisterial District? -- Old Madison Heights Sanitary District, origin of growing movement to create fifth magisterial district in Amherst County, occupies center of this aerial photo by Staff Photographer Ronnie Wells. At left edge of photo is Williams Viaduct; Lynchbrug Expressway curves up from Carter Glass Memorial Bridge at right edge.
1959: Aerial of the Miller Home before it was demolished to make way for the $5.5 million Pittman Plaza project.
1959 (original text): Miller Home Razing Begins -- Bulldozers roared into action today at the old Miller Home, knocking down outbuildings and sheds in the rear of the Lynchburg landmark, and uprooting its grove of towering trees. It's all being done in the name of progress -- to make way for the $5.5 million Pittman Plaza shopping center. Demolition is being carried out under contract by the J.H. Fortson Wrecking Co., of Wilson N.C.
1959 - Spectators watch the 1959 Soap Box Derby.
Jan. 19, 1959 - Original Text: Protecting buyer and seller -- J.A. Wilkerson (foreground), State Inspector of Weights and Measures for the Lynchburg area, is shown as he officially checks the weights of pre-packaged foods in a newly opened supermarket while business (background) goes on as usual. Records of the State Weights and Measures department for last year disclosed an 18 percent discrepancy in this particular line of merchandise.
Jan. 29, 1959 - Original text: To Be Demolished -- Buildings in this photo will be razed and site converted into parking lot by Miller & Rhoads. View is of upper side of Commerce Street between Seventh and Eight streets. Harris-Woodson Co. building, unoccupied, is in foreground.
Jan. 31, 1959: Workmen are shown on the ramp at Preston Glenn Airport as they put the finishing touches on the job of installing some $35,000 worth of new equipment to be used for refueling of Piedmont Airlines' new F-27 prop-jet planes.
Feb. 24, 1959 - Kroger to expand here -- The three residences between Hutters Lane and the present Kroger store on Fort Avenue, will be torn down to make room for an enlarged store and additional parking area. Project is expected to cost in excess of $100,000.
March 1, 1959 - Digging out behemoth - This heavy 'dozer got too close to the edge on Lynchburg Expressway's south section near James Street interchange Friday and toppled over embankment. Nose struck a piling, and workmen had to cut through thick wood to dig out the behemoth.
March 13, 1959 - Original Text: To be dedicated Sunday -- The recently completed fellowship hall of Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church will be dedicated at services Sunday. Above is a view of the interior of the Virginia greenstone structure. It contains 16 classrooms, a modern kitchen and the auditorium has a seating capacity of 300, double the size of the facilities formerly used. Garland Gay was the architect and C.L. Lewis, the contractor, for the building which cost approximately $136,000. The Rev. James Thompson is pastor of the church.
March 27, 1959 - Aerial of the Candlers Mountain area.
April 20, 1959 - Downtown Lynchburg, taken from Court Street near the top of Monument Terrace.
May 27, 1959 (original text): Walls come tumbling down -- A bulldozer tugs at the sturdy walls of old Miller Home, a city landmark, gnawing like a gnat at a giant as it rips away portions of the walls. The razing of the old building is being carried out by the J.H. Fortson Wrecking Co. of Wilson, N.C. to make way for the $5.5 million Pittman Plaza shopping center. Crumbing under the slow, grinding pull of the dozer and a cable, above, is one of the twin towers so familiar to Lynchburg for generations.
June 4, 1959 Original Text: Sheffield School Takes Shape -- The foundations and some of the walls for the $395,000 Sheffield Elementary School have been completed by the Henry D. Porter construction company. The school is a virtual duplicate of the Bedford Hills School, designed by the firm of Poston & Burks, architects. Porter also built the Bedford Hills School. The two schools are the first to be built in territory annexed from Campbell and Bedford counties last year.
Aug. 4, 1959 Original text: Boarding the 'Sunshine Special' -- All set to board the Lynchbrug Exchange Club's "Sunshine Special" at 6 a.m. today for a day-long sightseeing trip to places of interest in Richmond, Jamestown and Williamsburg are group of girls who were selected for trip by the Salvation Army and the City Social Services Bureau. Girls, who were treated to breakfast at Shamrock Restaurant, were accompanied by six representatives of Exchange Club: Charles W. Stieler, chairman of the club's projects committee which arranged the trip; Mrs. Stieler, Mrs. Russell Isman, Mr and Mrs. Ed Brown and Mrs. George Saunders. Girls taking trip are Juanita Ward, Joanne Witt, Hazel Marie Dolinger, Alice Mae Witt, Nancy Ore, Donna Yeater, Sandra Martin, Margaret Rose Harler, Kathleen Virginia Bell, Barbara Ann Osborne, Joyce Trent, Joyce Ann Bell, Janet Trent and Helen Hogan, all of Lynchburg and Patricia Lopez, both of Rt. 1, Rustburg.
Aug. 16, 1959 Original text: Shopping Center Work Progressing -- Grading of the old Miller Home property for 20-unit Pittman Plaza shopping center, here shown from Sears, Roebuck & Co. store, was completed last week. Bids for the $5 1/2 million center will be opened Sept 1. in Fayetteville, N.C.
New Refueling Unit -- Workmen are shown on the ramp at the Preston Glenn Airport at they put the finishing touches on the job of installing some $35,000 worth of new equipment to be used for the refueling of Piedmont Airlines' new F-27 prop-jet planes.
June 25, 1959: Heavy earth-moving equipment is shown at Preston Glenn Airport leveling off a knoll on which the present administration is located. The knoll is to be leveled with the landing field and a new administration building placed on the field level. The grading operations are expected to be completed within 60 days. English Construction of Altavista is contractor for the project.
Aug. 19, 1959: These are three of the quonset huts placed adjacent to the Administration Building at Preston Glenn Airport during World War II that have been moved to a new location at the rear of the 'new' hangar. Two of the huts will be used by the Civil Air Patrol and the other will be used by the city. At the left is the 'new' hangar, which was also constructed during World War II, while at the extreme right is the aviation control tower. The huts had to be moved as a result of the Preston Glenn improvement program.
Aug. 31, 1959: Here is the new snack bar, which was opened recently in the administration building at Preston Glenn Airport by Vito A. Panzarino, manager of Atlantic Aviation's local operation. The snack bar -- first eating place on any kind to be operated by the airport in several years -- is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The waitress in the picture is Jane Bagby.
Sept. 7, 1959 Original text: A Hotel's Skeleton -- Little more than the front wall remains of once-proud Hotel Carroll, being razed to pave way for office and restaurant building at Eighth and Main streets for Miller and Rhoads, Inc. All the top floors of former five-story hotel building and most of rear have been demolished by Cleveland Wrecking Co., demolition contractor.
Sept. 16, 1959 - Original Text: Seminary Takes Shape -- This is an aerial photograph of the Father Judge Mission Seminary now under construction in Amherst County near Tobacco Row Mountain. The building at left is the gymnasium; the one in the foreground is a dormitory, the one in the center is a dining hall and boiler rooms, the one at top will house classrooms and faculty rooms. The chapel is at right (rows of steel columns) facing Crawford's Store Road.
Sept. 20, 1959 - Original text: Fire Ravages Old Church -- Smoke pours from windows of the old First Christian Church at Fifth and Main streets Saturday afternoon as firemen battle to save the 56-year-old structure. The inside of the church was reduced to charred debris by flames that burned through building for more than an hour.
Sept. 24, 1959 Original Text: Traffic Lights for Expressway Entrance -- State Department of Highway crews are shown installing traffic lights at the Rt. 29-Lynchburg Expressway intersection (background) in Madison Heights today. Eight lights on north and southbound lanes of Rt. 29 are being installed to eliminate confusion. They will be controlled by radar masts. The lights and overhead signs were ordered to control traffic entering and leaving the expressway.
Oct. 1, 1959 - Original text: Feeder Calves Arrive -- Amherst County Agent Bailey Wilkins, center, and Jim Smith, far left, Appomattox County agent, are among those marking calves Wednesday for fall feeder calf sale which opens today at Lynchbrug Livestock Market. Sale is sponsored twice a year by Lynchburg Feeder Calf Producers Assn.
October 28, 1959 - New fire escape at Frank Roane - Part of the school board's fire safety improvement program for seven city elementary schools was the construction of an outside fire escape for Frank Roane School on Federal Street. Youngsters like Billy Hughes and Linda Colbert now have an outside escape from the second floor. Previously there was only the inside staircase.
Nov. 4, 1959: The new terminal for Preston Glenn Airport takes shape near the present tower and terminal building in background. The walls of the new building will be glass, with offices and utility rooms in the round brick 'core' in the center. Constructed by English Construction Co., the terminal is part of a $381,358 improvement project that includes hangar relocation, provisions for automobile parking at field level, a new taxi strip for planes and additional lighting. The project is expected to be completed by June, 1960.
Nov. 27, 1959 - New Road to open: The newest of city streets - Park Avenue Extension between Memorial and Oakley avenues - is ready for traffic soon. This view shows road in foreground near connection with Oakley. Intersecting road at top left and extending to left is extension of Murrell Road, which intersects Langhorne Road. Park Avenue Extension curves around rear of Pittman Plaza construction site at upper right, passes behind Sears Roebuck & Co. and intersects Memorial Avenue. (The intersection with Oakley is behind the photographer and Alleghany Avenue is visible at right. This is now all Lakeside Drive all the way to the intersection with Memorial.)
Dec. 16, 1959 - Original Text: New Sign and Equipment -- Carl E. Landes, superintendent of the Odd Fellows Home of Virginia here, is shown admiring the new $8,000 electrically lighted sign on the lawn of the home and a part of the $12,000 worth of new farm equipment purchased by the home. The sign, which is 40 feet long and lights up automatically at dusk, is visible from the Lynchburg Expressway. Farm equipment just purchased includes two tractors, a hay baler, rake, wagons and mowers.
Take at a look at this selection of photos from our archives, one decade at a time.