1326 OLD PLANK ROAD in Salisbury North Carolina, a circa 1925 home, is freshly painted inside. The master bedroom boasts large closets and new carpeting.
There is new laminate flooring in one bedroom, and tiles floors in both the kitchen and bathroom.
The quintessential rocking-chair front porch just replaced.
And ~ the home is vinyl sided (low maintenance!)
There is a small utility room off kitchen.
A Bit of History
During the twelve-year period, 1849-1861, North Carolina responded to the imperative need for improved transportation facilities by chartering eighty-four plank road companies. Approximately 500 miles of plank roads were constructed and operated. These roads facilitated the marketing of produce and were popularly called "farmers' railroads."
'Plank Roads' used to connect towns in North Carolina and across the States in the 1850s. The novelty of the plank road was popular, for people were anxious to ride over these "mudless highways." Farm and forest products were taken to markets over them. Many travelers followed them, for they saved time and wear and tear on their vehicles (at this time the vehicle was likely horse-drawn wagon!) and harness, and their horses were saved much strain. Stage coaches adopted the plank road routes and were among the most reliable sources of income.
A cultural interpretation of the importance of establishing and operating plank roads appeared in the Southerner, December 18, 1852:Improvements of this kind will add to the real or permanent wealth of our country. . . . They will encourage the cultivation of the ornamental and beautiful. . . . They will set the most steady agog now and then, and by awakening their curiosity lead them to see a little of the world. . . . They will bring the powers of science into action at the very door-sills of some of our stand-still friends, and teach them the advantages of intellectual advancements.
People along the roads not only improved their homes, but also their language. Colonel W. A. Blair of Winston-Salem learned from some of the older people who lived along the Fayetteville and Western Plank Road of a family who visited relatives whose home was beside the road. In this home the visitors found a new word "gravy," which to their astonishment was a "high falutin" name for "sop."
The value of land increased along the plank road routes. A 5,000 acre tract along one road sold in 1853 for $2.00 per acre, whereas a few years before it had sold for only 14 cents per acre.
The Fayetteville Observer stated in 1853 that "Our plank roads have been worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the country they have penetrated." Towns along the several routes increased in size, and new ones appeared. High Point owes its origin to the Fayetteville and Western Plank Road and the North Carolina Railroad, for where they crossed the village soon appeared.
The competition of the railroad was one of the causes of the decline of the plank road movement. The fact that the Fayetteville and Western Plank Road Company was afraid to compete with the North Carolina Railroad between Lexington and Salisbury implies an advantage for the railroad. The Fayetteville and Western Road which connected the western section of the State with an eastern market suffered most from the railroad movement. Many western farmers took advantage of the rapid transportation service rendered by the railroads. The cost of plank road upkeep was tremendous because of the quick decay of the plank and the damage caused by freshets. The income failed to repay the original cost of construction before a general rebuilding was necessary. The Civil War was responsible for a general upheaval and unsettled conditions which discouraged new investments and general progress. The expense of repair and reconstruction, the turmoil of Civil War, railroad competition, and the increase in the price of lumber and labor made the downfall of the plank road system of highways inevitable. (Adapted from The North Carolina Historical Review Volume XVI Numbers 1-4)
Buy 1326 Old Plank Road Now! If you're looking for that starter home, or if you were thinking about starting an investment portfolio ~ this little home with its little chunk of history might be just the one for you! If so, give Greg Rapp a call at 704.213.6846 ~ and scoop up 1326 Old Plank Road ~ for UNDER $50,000!
1326 OLD PLANK ROAD Salisbury, NC 28144
List Price: $39,900
MLS#:58616
Greg Rapp
Wallace Realty Co.
704 213 6846 Mobile
704 636 2021 Office
www.realestatesalisbury.net
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