A PICTURE FROM THE PAST

A PICTURE FROM THE PAST

By John Harvey

The picture with this week's column is of a scene from Monticello's past, familiar to all of us.

It is the corner of West Washington and Church Streets looking toward College Street. This picture was taken around 1900. Recognizable are the Kelly House, Hurd-Edwards house, and the Persons house. On the left side of the street are two houses which burned in later years, the Dr. Russell house which stood on the lot now belonging to Mrs. R. D. Campbell and the Miss Maude Penn house, which stood on the lot now occupied by the Jones House.

In the distance on the right side of the street is the Swanson house where Dr. Tom Brady's office is now. On the near right is a house which stood where the Cohen-Benton house is now. It is not known who owned this house but it was torn down when Sam Cohen bought the lot. (if anyone knows about this house, we would appreciate the information)

The photographer was standing in front of the A. R. Penn house which stood where H C. Tucker's car lot is now. On his right and off the picture was the N. B. White house which stood where H. C. Tucker Ford Motor Co. is now. When the White house was dismantled, the lumber and brick were used in the Dr. Cannon house now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Smith

A number of our senior citizens have told us that when they were children, a photographer would come from New York and stay at Mrs. A. R. Penn's boarding house for a month or so at a time and make pictures of scenes around the county. Later these pictures would be sent back as post cards and were sold by a number of businesses. These cards were printed in Leipzig, Germany, and were distributed by the Mewvechrome Co. of New York. This card was sold by Furse Drug Company, which was located in the building now housing Florence's gift Shop.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005, from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr.
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.