Barber Shop on Main Street, 1920s

Then as now, the patrons of barber shops discussed the important issues of the day.

The status of agriculture: 8 out of 10 men in the county were working in farming or logging. Burley tobacco was expanding as an important cash crop.

The condition of the roads: they were so deplorable that every man between the ages of 18–45 was made to work 9 hours a day, 6 days a week as volunteers in order to repair or complete them.

The government: the Federal Government had leased the White Sulphur Springs Hotel as a military hospital to treat veterans of World War I.

The gorge: Carolina Power and Light was building a massive dam in the Pigeon River Gorge and a 6.7 mile tunnel to a powerhouse at the state line—all agree it was an engineering marvel.

 

Photograph courtesy of Henry Foy, The Haywood County Library Digital Collection

 

What do shops look like in Haywood County today?