The Craddock Terry Hotel- Historical Site Blog
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| Historic Lynchburg Sign |
Lynchburg
Virginia was founded in 1786, close to the beginning of America as an
independent country. Throughout the years, companies have come and gone from
this historical town, but only a few have stood the test of time. One building
that has changed throughout the years is the Craddock Terry Hotel.
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| Me outside the Craddock Terry Hotel |
Craddock Terry Hotel
A few weeks ago I visited the Craddock Terry Hotel in the downtown district of Lynchburg. This hotel is quite popular for tourists and locals alike, as it was a shoe factory in the 19th century. The Craddock Terry Shoe Corporation was founded in 1888 by John W. Craddock. He used the building to produce mass amounts of shoes for people all over Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, and even New York. In the mid 1800's the Craddock Terry Shoe Corporation had risen to the 5th largest shoe company in the world [1]. This had a significant impact on the Lynchburg economy, as it was the main industry for the city. Apart from the tobacco producers, Lynchburg's largest manufacturer of goods was Craddock Terry. With that being said, it is important to also note the tobacco industry that was connected to the Craddock Terry Shoe Co. To the left of the hotel is a building that William King Jr. would use to store and dry his tobacco leaves [2]. Tobacco wholesale was also a flourishing industry that provided wealth and capital for workers within the city. The Craddock Terry Shoe Corporation was important to the history of Virginia because it held the economy of Lynchburg together for many years, providing work for hundreds of men.
A few weeks ago I visited the Craddock Terry Hotel in the downtown district of Lynchburg. This hotel is quite popular for tourists and locals alike, as it was a shoe factory in the 19th century. The Craddock Terry Shoe Corporation was founded in 1888 by John W. Craddock. He used the building to produce mass amounts of shoes for people all over Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, and even New York. In the mid 1800's the Craddock Terry Shoe Corporation had risen to the 5th largest shoe company in the world [1]. This had a significant impact on the Lynchburg economy, as it was the main industry for the city. Apart from the tobacco producers, Lynchburg's largest manufacturer of goods was Craddock Terry. With that being said, it is important to also note the tobacco industry that was connected to the Craddock Terry Shoe Co. To the left of the hotel is a building that William King Jr. would use to store and dry his tobacco leaves [2]. Tobacco wholesale was also a flourishing industry that provided wealth and capital for workers within the city. The Craddock Terry Shoe Corporation was important to the history of Virginia because it held the economy of Lynchburg together for many years, providing work for hundreds of men.
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| Workers within the Corporation |
What Did I Learn?
The most valuable
thing that I took away from this excursion is how much history can change a
single place. Two hundred years ago this town had a thriving shoe manufacturer
with a large economic impact. Today, however, downtown Lynchburg is semi-run
down with small economic growth. Because Lynchburg residents depended on the
shoe factory to produce income and revenue, they were supported mainly on the
sale of shoes. Once this business died down, the city could no longer rely on
Craddock Terry to provide the means that kept the town prosperous. The hotel
staff told me that this shoe factory was later converted into a hotel by the
great grandson of John W. Craddock (the original founder of the company). The
rooms today no longer have factory machinery within them, but contain various
artifacts from the early 20th century.
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| Artifacts in the hotel lobby |
The lobby even
displays shoes and tools from the time period when the factory was up and
running. Another artifact from the original company is the tree of Craddock
workers which now hangs in the lobby. Despite not being a large manufacturing
building anymore, one can still see pieces of the original Craddock Terry Shoe
Corporation. The inside of the building has electricity, furniture, and even a
lounge for guests. Thus I was able to see the significant changes that have
happened throughout the past 200 years, in this one building alone.
[1] Hotel Staff. History Behind the Craddock Terry Hotel-Brochure.
[2]: Steeped in History. (n.d.).
Retrieved February 20, 2017, from http://www.craddockterryhotel.com/History
