The Back Story

Blacktop Crossing Railroad

Arnold Kimmons’ Royal and Edisto Railway (check out Model Railroader Magazine and model railroad forums) has shamed me into developing the back story of our (grandchildren and me) small layout.  In earlier posts, I’ve mentioned some of this, but here is an attempt to pull it all together – subject to change with further developments.

The project is centered on the cotton industry, circa September 13, 1956.  This is about at the end of tobacco picking time and maybe a little toward the middle of cotton picking time in upstate South Carolina.  Since the 1957 Chevy Bel Air had only come out the week before, NONE will be seen on this layout.  Not that they are not nice, just too ubiquitous as a model.

Cotton is being raised by Farmer Brown – isn’t that what ALL farmers are called?  Farmer “Cotton” Brown also owns the local gin, and has chosen to name his only daughter Cotton Ginny Brown.  Since one set of figures given to us included a horse, Farmer Brown must feed and house said horse for Ginny to ride.  Well, actually, the granddaughters thought we needed a stall for the horse hitched to the cotton wagon, but we can give Ginny a horse, too.

The other local cotton farmers come to Brown’s Cotton Gin and exchange stories on a warm September day.

Ginned cotton makes its way to the The Cotton Factory, which is a representation of a cotton factory recently converted to offices for a bill collector in Rock Hill, SC.  The factory is owned and run by John P. Rollins (actually, the general manager of the operations when owned by Gold-Tex many years ago).  Mr. Rollins is proud to drive his Lincoln Continental Mark II around this small town and is even more proud of his daughter, Sally Sue.  Sally Sue was named after her mother, Sally, but John added “Sue” as a typical Southern name so Sally Sue wouldn’t “get above her raising”, as they say.  Nevertheless, Sally Sue drives a nice, Pink Cadillac Convertible, attracting all the local greasers as her blond hair blows in the breeze.

Top dog Greaser is Mickey with his black '55 – but Sally Sue calls him “Meeky”.   Mickey and his mill hill buddies like to stop at the Ebenezer Grill to show off their cars, ducktails, and suave sophistication to all who drive by in pink Cadillacs.   Inside the grill, Loyd Artry is known to serve up the best hot dogs in town, as confirmed by the Buzzy award from The Evening Herald over several consecutive years.  Pat, Robert, and Stephanie are eager to call out their patrons’ names in welcome as they enter the door; Taj accepts payment for the tasty meals at the cash register.

Aside from the textile industry, the locals are also involved in other pursuits.  Growing tobacco is one of the major money crops.  Nicholas O’Tean, known as Nick, is an Irishman that has learned that farming and curing tobacco can fill pockets with green!

Lumber mills and pulp mills can be found nearby taking advantage of the tall pines that grow in the poor soil of the area.  Tim Burr (named by Woodland Scenics, of course) runs the woodlands business in the area including the woodyard.  His sons, Sandy and Woody do most of the work.  Sandy can often be found leaning against one of those tall Southern yellow pines sniffing a flower or taking a snooze.

 

The mill houses provided by The Cotton Factory have been kept up pretty well, give or take the junk yard looks favored by the local yokels. 

A. B. Poe opened a company store next to the factory and initially only took factory script.  Recently, his son, C. D. Poe, has expanded the store to also serve as a farmers’ exchange.  Business has been good.  I think that’s Bossman Rollins’ black Mark II next to the store.

Those returning from WWII also have an armory near the cotton gin that allows them to keep up a bit of US Army pay in the SC Army National Guard 178^th Engineers.

Rumor has it that the old Cotton building that provided offices for the USDA cotton classers (led by E. C. Hanson) and for the local cotton warehouses is soon to be installed.  UPDATE:  The Cotton office is now onsite and Mr. Hanson shares this building with the local cotton broker.

A recommendation to install a hospital, clinic, or doctor's office to serve those local residents who have become customers of Nick O'Tean is being considered.  Maybe Mother's Day weekend will be a good time to construct a doctor's office from a Clever Bros Photo Studio kit.  Maybe something like this:

Ended up with Drs. Payne and Zuffering establishing practice near the cotton gin and railroad crossing.