06001.DL – Unknown and Nettie Hughes; circa 1940’s.
06002.DL – The Tap Room. Shirley Rideoutt and Calvin Walker are pictured in front of Payne’s Tap Room on South West Street, Charles Town, WV. This was a favorite hangout for young adults. Payne’s Hotel was located above the Tap Room. Payne’s Hotel was owned by William and Lavinia Payne. William Payne was a veteran and a charter member of Green-Copeland American Legion Post #63 which was chartered September 17, 1929 in Charles Town, WV.
06003.DL. – ▪ This photo was taken in Big End which was a part of Charles Town. It was located on South George Street extension. “Big End” was one of the communities in Charles Town. There were no official boundary lines but residents knew where they were. Examples of other communities in Charles Town include Dog Town, Gibson Town, Hominy Town, Potato Hill, South West Street, and Werick Street. Residents of these communities proudly boasted of their affiliations, which gave them identities.
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06005.DL – ▪ This photo was taken near the old Presbyterian Church graveyard in Charles Town. Pictured left to right are: Paul Turner, William Turner, Garfield Williams and Arthur Gales. The young men are sitting on a wall on South West Street. This area was a Saturday night hangout when the temperatures were fairly warm.
06006.DL – Pictured here are Howard Throckmorton (on the right) and his friend (on the left). The photo was taken on South West Street in Charles Town around 1950. Mamie Bradford’s house is in the background. South West Street is not just a street, but one of many smaller communities within the larger town of Charles Town.
06007.DL – Taken in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s, this photo shows Mary Stanton and friend. They are standing in front of “Taylor’s Tavern” on South West Street in Charles Town. South West Street was considered to be an African American community. In total, there are 24 neighborhoods in Jefferson County. Taylor’s Tavern was a business establishment run by an African American. In total, there were 13 businesses run or owned by African Americans in the years from 1800 to 2004.
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06013.DL – This photo dates to 1925. It is a group of workers from Charles Town and the photo was taken by Bart Williams. It shows men at the Halltown Paper Mill, a mill which is still in existence today. Originally the mill produced board from straw which was provided by the local farmers. However, more recently it produces paper-box board for packing industries. It also accepts clean cardboard from local residents.
06014.DL – Pictured is Edith McDaniel Clay. She had just returned home after an evening church service. She is standing in the yard of the home of her mother, Mozell Burrell. The home was located on Reymann St, Ranson, WV. The photo was taken in 1950.
06015.DL – Photo was taken in Charles Town, WV; Date and people unknown.
06016.DL – Pictured here is the pump which brought the water up from the well which was the source of drinking water up to 1950. The photo was taken on the property of Grandfather Earl Johnson.
06017.DL – Left to right are pictured Fannie Pendleton Stanton, Anna Pearl Posey Williams and Mary Walker. The photo was taken at Taylor’s Tavern in Fisherman’s Hall in the 1950’s. Anna Pearl Posey was a 1950 graduate of Page Jackson High School. Taylor’s restaurant was located in Fishermen’s Hall on South West Street.
06018.DL – This photo was taken in Jefferson County, WV. It shows a wagon which delivered ice, coal and wood. Visible is the white driver who was possibly the owner. Two black men are standing on the right of the photo, possibly employed by the owner of the company but that is not known for certain.
06019.DL – African-Americans are shown while they are building the new post office and county buildings in Charles Town, WV. Photo was taken December 1, 1922. This is where the old jail stood on the corner of Washington and George Streets. That jail was the one which housed the Raiders of John Brown, including John Brown himself.
06020.DL – Pictured here are Georgie Bradford and a friend. Year and location are unknown.
06021.DL – This photo dates from sometime between 1920 and 1940. The dates are estimated based on the clothing styles and the age of the machinery, for lack of a better method. Workers are shown resting. Whether they are just beginning their day or just ending their day, is not known. In 1934, the average weekly earnings amounted to $22.97. The workers generally averaged 28.9 hours per week and earned 80 cents per hour. A year later, workers increased their salaries by one and a half cents per hour, and their work week increased to 30.1 hours, making their weekly average rise to $24.51.
06022.DL – This circa 1920 photo shows Bro. Peter Hall and his wife, Essie Brookings Hall, in front of their residence on Water Street. In Charles Town in 1936, the only African-American Pentecostal-Holiness congregation was The House of Prayer. The congregation met in members’ homes for three years. In 1939 the estate of Brother Hall provided part of the funds necessary to purchase a building which was located on the corner of Water and Congress Streets.
06023.DL – Pictured here is WWI veteran Edward O. Morgan. He was a guard in Washington, D.C. during WWII. Ed was a WWII air raid warden for the “Potato Hill” community in Charles Town. This photo dates to the 1950’s or 1960’s when Edward was a uniformed policeman . Edward was a Thirty Three Degree Prince Hall Mason in Charles Town. In addition, he was a member of the John Brown Elks Lodge No. 841 as well as a member of Green-Copeland American Legion Post #63, both in Charles Town. In addition he courageously served his country in WWI.
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06027.DL – Close friends are pictured here — Dorothy Johnson on the left and Fanny Curry on the right, both in their 80’s. They were close friends who both lived on West 3rd Avenue in Ranson. Dorothy was a member of Wainwright Baptist Church and Fanny was a member of King Apostle and both were the senior members in their respective churches.
06028.DL – Pictured here in Harpers Ferry, WV is Mary Catherine Dennis. The photo was taken around 1951 or 1952.
06029.DL – Pictured left to right are: Lula Hester, unknown friend, and Nora Bailey, on South West Street in Charles Town. The photo dates from the 1940’s. South West Street was in Charles Town and was, not just a street, but an African American Community. There many throughout the region including the following: Aims Row, Angel Hill, Big End, Boone, Bushy Ridge, Dog Town, Franklintown, Gibson Town (Ventosa), Hartstown, Hominy Town, Jackson Row, Jamestown, Johnsontown, Mill Lane, Mt. Pleasant, Potato Hill, Skeetersville, Slabtown (Smithfield), Ten Row, the Rocks, Tiger Row, Uptown and Werick Row.
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06032.DL – In this photo can be seen George Turner, wearing the cap, along with his friends. Mr. Turner was owner of the Turner Taxi Service located in Jefferson County, WV. Two other taxi companies are known to have been owned by African-Americans in Charles Town. One was owned by Russell Roper and one was owned by Max Evan. It is very challenging and difficult to have a small business be successful because 90% of small businesses fail within their first year. These men should be commended.
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06035.DL – A family is pictured at the B & O train station in Harpers Ferry when the station was in its original location at the junction of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, closer to the Shenandoah River. The station had been erected in 1892. It later would be relocated in 1931 to a new railroad bridge site along the Potomac River. The bridge in the background spans the river to Virginia no longer exists.
06036.DL – Madeline Lawson McIver stands with her father, Venning Lawson on South West Street in Charles Town, WV. The Gold Kettle was a black business in Charles Town that was renowned for its courteous service.
06037.DL – Mr. Edward Braxton stands beside the car with Elsie Clinton seated inside the car. The photo was taken in 1940. Mr. Edward Braxton was a teacher at the Charles Town District Colored School, also known as the Eagle Avenue School. He also served on the Jefferson County Planning Commission. Mrs. Elsie Clinton was also a teacher at the Charles Town District Colored School and at Skeetersville Colored School which was in the Shenandoah Junction Area schools.
06038.DL – Taken in the 1920’s, this photo shows Reverend William Craven with his wife, Cerelle Page Craven. Rev. Craven was pastor at Wainwright Baptist Church in Charles Town. Mrs. Cerelle Page Craven was a teacher at First Eagle Avenue School. The land on which the school sat had been purchased for $500 in 1894. The building would additions and eventually it became too small and a new building was constructed. It was called the Charles District Colored School. The school was used until 1938.
06039.DL – Photo from Madeline’s photo album.
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06041.DL – This blurry photo shows Edith Clay and John Clay when he came to visit. It was taken in the summer of 1950 in the front yard of her mother’s house n Reymann Street in Ranson, WV. It was a fun day on one of his visits.
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If you have any information about any of the above photos, or if you have photos that you would like to add to the archive, please email James Green here.
