10 years ago
* The Sports Car Club of America held their second Chasing the Dragon Hill Climb at Maple Springs, near Joyce Kilmer Forest. The event kicked off with a street party in downtown Robbinsville. “We’ve had a great response for this event and expect around 2,000 people,” said manager Ted Theodore. The event won the National Time Trial Award of the Year in 2011. Theodore promised better spectator viewing, more excitement and fun for the street party on Main Street and the actual hill climb over the weekend. Update: The Hill Climb is still ongoing.
* Landon Farley was named the new head Robbinsville baseball coach at the latest school board meeting. Farley had played baseball most of his life. At the age of 26, he went to major league tryouts to see if he had what it took to turn pro, but he was told that he was a solid minor league pitcher. Since that is what Farley expected to hear, he tried his hand at something else. “I love this game and hope to pass on that excitement, enthusiasm and passion that I have to the players.” Coach Billy Knight being a mentor to Farley was one of the reasons he was named head coach. “I just want him to know how much I appreciate him recommending me,” Farley said of Knight. Update: Farley served as an assistant coach as recent as the 2021 season.
25 years ago
* Volunteer firefighters saved the last house on Santeetlah Point from complete destruction, but could not save the rare collection of animal trophies gathered by Mary Siller’s husband. Siller sold her home to Robert and Carol Head, who had planned to spend their first night there, the day the fire struck. The fire engines and 25 firemen worked to stop the blaze. Bill McNamara said that Siller had managed to move a few items out of the house before the fire struck. It took about three hours for firefighters to extinguish the fire. Although the rare collection was gone, most of the house was saved.
* The 1925 Shay steam engine was back on the tracks. Many volunteers and $400,000 donated by Food Lion, Phillip Morris and others, have put the engine back into operation at the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer, with “Graham County Railroad Company”, emblazed on the side. Jim Wrinn, formerly of Franklin, spearheaded the restoration project. When Wrinn was a child, his parents brought him to Bear Creek Junction, 43 times to ride the train. His love for “The 25” had never ended. Ed Collins, being engineer for 37 years, along with 36 members of his family were present for the rededication. Jerry Collins donated the original whistle from number 1925 to the transportation museum, where it was reinstalled on the Shay.
50 years ago
* The Burlington Furniture Plant announced its re-opening of the Robbinsville plant. Officials said that the plant would re-equip at a cost of several million dollars and should be in operation by April 1973. It would employ an estimated 350 persons, in full production. About 200 were employed there when it was closed in 1971. Carl E. Annas, group Vice President for Burlington Industries said, “We are extremely pleased that our growth in furniture production makes it possible to use the Robbinsville Plant. The continued interest of community leaders, even after closing the plant in 1971, indicates that we can convert and re-quip the plant with complete confidence in the outlook for very successful operations.”
* The local recruiter, Sargent C.H. “Sonny” Carwile reported the enlistment of Richard H. Williams and Joel H. Nelson. Both boys were from Robbinsville and were 1972 graduates. Williams and Nelson were undergoing the six week basic training course at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas under the Air Forces’ “Buddy Plan.” In addition, they entered the Air Force with four-month seniority for pay purposes, since they took advantage of the Air Force Delayed Enlistment plan. They were enlisted in February, with an active duty date of June.