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| Billy |
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| I never knew the town was first named "Duke" |
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Erwin is located near the site of the old settlement of Averasboro, which finds mention in accounts of both the Revolutionary War and War Between The States. It lies on the east side of the Cape Fear River on low but well drained lands which in their original state were heavily wooded.
The community of Erwin began with the erection of a cotton mill in 1903. In fact, its history is in large part the history of the milling enterprise, which was constructed by the Erwin Cotton Mills Company. The Erwin Mills Company was formed in 1892 by a group of financiers who included W.A. Erwina dn J.B. "Buck" Duke Construction started in the spring of 1903, and the mill was in full operation by the latter part of 1905. The site had been selected because of the proximity of the Cape Fear River, the proximity of the cotton fields, and the probably supply of adequate labor.
Erwin was originally known as the town of Duke, and until 1923 education in the public school ended with the ninth grade. In 1924 the tenth and eleventh grades were added, so the first class to graduate from Duke High School was the class of 1925. As things turned out, it was also the last, because on January 1, 1926, the town's name was changed to "Erwin" and the Class of 1926 was the first to graduate from Erwin High School.
Present day Erwin High School took root in the second floor of a small company building owned by Erwin Mills. This school was located where the furniture store is now. Erwin's first principal, Thomas W. Sprinkle (1902-1928). From the years 1929 to 1944 Erwin had an athletic program w hich can be compared to a dynasty. During these fifteen years, J.R. (Dick) Cathey coached boys basketball, football, baseball, and later, girls basketball for Erwin and accumulated a remarkable record of winning seasons
The community of Erwin began with the erection of a cotton mill in 1903. In fact, its history is in large part the history of the milling enterprise, which was constructed by the Erwin Cotton Mills Company. The Erwin Mills Company was formed in 1892 by a group of financiers who included W.A. Erwina dn J.B. "Buck" Duke Construction started in the spring of 1903, and the mill was in full operation by the latter part of 1905. The site had been selected because of the proximity of the Cape Fear River, the proximity of the cotton fields, and the probably supply of adequate labor.
Erwin was originally known as the town of Duke, and until 1923 education in the public school ended with the ninth grade. In 1924 the tenth and eleventh grades were added, so the first class to graduate from Duke High School was the class of 1925. As things turned out, it was also the last, because on January 1, 1926, the town's name was changed to "Erwin" and the Class of 1926 was the first to graduate from Erwin High School.
Present day Erwin High School took root in the second floor of a small company building owned by Erwin Mills. This school was located where the furniture store is now. Erwin's first principal, Thomas W. Sprinkle (1902-1928). From the years 1929 to 1944 Erwin had an athletic program w hich can be compared to a dynasty. During these fifteen years, J.R. (Dick) Cathey coached boys basketball, football, baseball, and later, girls basketball for Erwin and accumulated a remarkable record of winning seasons
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| Billy and his family picked a lot of cotton in the 1940's |
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