BUSINESSES

Through a period of years, as times changed, businesses adjusted to meet the needs of the community, and many have served the area.   At the present time in 1986, business people who call College Grove home are White’s Dairy Supply, owned by Zelma and Melvin White, county and community leaders; two trucking businesses, one owned by Bobby Clary and one by George Sanders; the Nashville City Bank with local officers Larry Hazelwood, Assistant Vice-President and Branch Manager and Edward Cromer, Assistant Manager and Banking Officer; four beauty shops, one owned by Donna Hazelwood, one by Vivian Skinner, one by Wanda Skinner, and Creative Hair Styles, owned by Shelia Porter; the United States Post Office with Mrs. Mary Tom Cromer, Postmistress; The Wedding Gallery, owned by Betty Jackson; Taylor’s Bi-Rite, owned by Mildred and Harry Taylor, in business for 39 years; College Grove Drugs, operated by Charles Rigsby and Bill Hibbett; Jack Dowdy’s Barber Shop; College Grove Gulf, owned by Jerry Brewer; Barnes Plumbing Company, owned by George and Wayne Barnes; Bellenfant Implement Company, owned by Joe Bellenfant, College Grove native and long-time community and business leader.

On the perimeter of the village and considered the College Grove area are the Rigsby Brothers in Allisona to the south. Toward Kirkland on the Harpeth River are General Smelting Company, managed by Tom Wilson; Tennessee Lead, Radiation Protection Products; Ralph Pate at Pate’s Grocery and Urban Scales at Kirkland Service Center. Also at Kirkland is the D & D Boat Seat Factory; several restaurants, and other businesses.

Many of these present owners have been a part of the business community for several years. Other names that come to us down through the one hundred and thirty six years of business are Dobson, Gentry, Hamlett, Pritchett, Demonbreun, Webb, Long, Blanton, Corlette, John and Bill Smith, Young, Green, Murdock, Lowe, T.L.C. Hardison, Brisby at Allisona, Seat and Jordan at Kirkland, Garrett, Jim Wray, Crocker, Watson, Marable, P.E.White, Anderson, Allison White, Maxwell, Harwell, Burgess, Parks, Cromer & Smith, Ford, Rigsby, Haley, Clary, Crunk, Neeley, McCasland and four more – A. J. Maxwell, J. Powell Covington, Erik Hardison, and Wilson Dowdy, whose combined years in business total more that 150.

These names represent several types of businesses. There were blacksmith shops, a grist mill, a saw mill, a cotton gin, a canning factory, a rock wool factory making insulation, stores selling hardware, groceries, dry goods, feed and seed, and drugs. There were restaurants, garages, electrical and plumbing contractors, and a washer. All contributing to the economy of the area.

Some businesses have their own special stories. One of these is the drug store. The first store dispensing drugs was owned by Dr. Owen and Emmett Wilson and was located in a two-story building on the east side of the highway about where the College Grove Gulf Station is now. It was later moved to a two-story frame building across the road and was owned by Walter Stammer, then by Robert and Sam Crocker, then by Albert and Powell Maxwell. This building burned in the 1940’s and was replaced by the present building.

The United States Post Office, after being the cause of the community’s name change, has continued to serve the people well. An early location was in the same building in which P. E. White’s Grocery and Dry Goods Store was located. This building burned at the same time as the Drug Store. Then, the office was in a building between the old Barber Shop and the Old Bank Building. In 1964, it was moved to its present location in a brick building erected by Earl Culberson. Mr. John Smith was the Postmaster for sixty-one years. Others have been Mrs. Mary Wilson and Mr. Earl Culberson. Early rural carriers were R. G. Smith and Clennie Tulloss.

Another, with a special history is the Bank. Now a branch of the Nashville City Bank, the Bank of College Grove was organized in 1910 under an oak tree in front of the College Grove Presbyterian Church. It had its first entry recorded on January 18, 1911 with a deposit of $1,782. The first President was J. J. Covington, Sr.; J. S. Ogilvie, Vice-President; and W. E. Stammer, Cashier. Two early Presidents were T. H. Ogilvie and C. B. Haley. Through the years, Covingtons have been active in the bank, and Mr. J. Powell Covington, grandson of the Bank’s first chairman, led the Bank as president for many years. Other cashiers were Mabry Covington, M. F. Clendenin, and Matthew Harwell. Mr. Harwell was with the Bank for over thirty years during the period of its greatest growth. He was Executive Vice President at the time of his retirement.

Many times information about the Bank is interlaced with stories of bank robberies. In the 1930s, there was a daylight robbery, and bank officials with some townspeople gave chase for a while, but were unable to catch the criminals. They were later captured and convicted. Then in 1946, a $1,000 reward was offered for information and conviction of robbers who took over $4,000 on the night of August 28. Another robbery took place during banking hours with the door closed and customers knocking on the door trying to get in the building.

The first bank building was in the center of town. In 1965, a building was erected next to the new Post Office just south of the main part of town. Then, in 1968, a branch office was established on Columbia Avenue in Franklin, and in 1978, a new building was erected in Franklin on East Main Street.

Old timers have regretted the demise of the Bank of College Grove, but friendly, local workers help to keep that hometown atmosphere for which the Bank has been recognized through the years.

Utility services have increased and improved through the years. Electricity came to College Grove through the Murfreesboro Power and Light Company in the early 1930s. Then, with the government’s support for TVA and REA, electric service was more accessible and improved. College Grove is served by the Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation.

Natural gas came to College Grove in 1960. It is distributed through the Horton Utility District, and for many years M. F. Clendenin represented College Grove as director.

A central water supply system was established as College Grove Utility District in 1965, largely through the efforts of the Lion’s Club, who sponsored the project, Dr. A. J. Maxwell, who gave his individual efforts, and Joe Bellenfant, who furnished the artesian well.

The Volunteer Fire Department served the community for many years as a project of the local Lions Club. Those who have served as Chiefs are David Carpenter, Matthew Harwell, and Sam R. Ogilvie, Charles Rigsby, the present Fire Chief, has worked with the Fire Department for twenty-seven years. Assistant Chiefs now are Mike Atkins and George Ogilvie with Bob Moran and Barry Owen serving as Captains.

Telephone service is now through the United Telephone Company, but College Grove’s first telephone exchange was organized in 1916 with A. R. Parks as the first President. The first office was in the second story over the Drug Store. Then it was moved to a building on Dr. Covington’s property (now the remodeled home of Mrs. Frazier Underwood). This first exchange was battery operated and calls were made through “central,” who “plugged in” and rang all numbers by hand. Miss Louise McCord worked there for many years.

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