Written by Charles Collett
Huntington, WV Newspaper – October 25, 1965
October Years Ago – The last week of October in years gone by left a record of many events occurring in the city…On October 28, 1863, Frank Neekamp opened a shoe store on Second Street and the city hasn’t been without a Neekamp Shoe Store for the past 102 years, operated by members of the same family.
Dr. Caleb Briggs
October 29, 1883, the first public library, endowed by Dr. Caleb Briggs, opened to the public on the second floor of a building provided with free rent by Col. George N. Gray at Front and Park Avenue now the N&W passenger depot site…Mrs. Ann Stewart Edmundson, Sixth and Adams Streets, is a granddaughter of Col. Gray.
October 26, 1893, the first football game was played by an Ironton High School team…The alumni lined up a team for the game and the newspaper attempted to explain the rules of the game so spectators might understand “the pileup” as the editor called it.
October 26, 1897, F. W. Batham and Roy Mascari opened a wholesale business named the Florida Fruit Co…The business continued until after Pearl Harbor under the management of William K. Mascari…October 28, 1947, the ground was broken for the new St. Joseph Church at Fifth and Chestnut Street by Rev. Ambrose W. Schilling…
October 29, 1943, the city was elated when the Board of Trade announced that Wilson Athletic Goods Manufacturing Co. had taken over the Selby Shoe Co’s big building at Third and Ellison Avenue.
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