The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 96
ROANOKE, 1917:
Echoes of Today?
BY NELSON HARRIS
ROANOKE IN 1917 was half the size it
is today. Much of today's Roanoke had not
yet been annexed. Raleigh Court, Virginia
Heights, Wasena, Mill Mountain, Washington Heights, Monterey and much of Northwest were suburbs of the city. However, other
neighborhoods were being developed within
the city. In Rugby, lots were advertised for $2
down and $2 per week and in Morningside
lots were $10 down and $10 per month.
Roanoke was dry due to the voters of Virginia voting in state-wide Prohibition in the
fall of 1916, three years ahead of national Prohibition. Thus, Salem Avenue-long a venue
for saloons, clubs, and dance halls-was mostly boarded up and abandoned. The city government in 1917 was under the control of
"reformers" led by Mayor Charles Braun.
96 | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017
In many ways, Roanoke in 1917 was a city coming into its own-
with improvements in public safety and employment for women
leading the way. But in other contexts, the city was on the edge
of peril, both locally and internationally.
Having ridden into office on the wave
of Prohibition sentiment the previous year,
Braun and his allies strictly enforced Prohibition, forced businesses to conform to Sunday
closing laws, and established the position of
the Commissioner of Public Morals. The annual Roanoke Fair was closely scrutinized by
what were derisively called the "Blue Noses"
to determine if any vendors present were
violating current laws. Mayor Braun began
screening movies at local theatres, and even
banned a few from being shown.
Roanoke in 1917 was continuing to live
up to its Magic City moniker, a term used
to describe its rapid growth. The Hampton
Hotel opened in the Henry Street section
and would a few years later be re-named the
Dumas Hotel. The Dumas would anchor the
artistic and cultural life of Roanoke's AfricanAmerican community for decades. The Isis
Theatre opened on Campbell Avenue. Christ
Episcopal Church laid its cornerstone; Melrose
Baptist Church erected its first building on
Melrose Avenue inclusive of a 900-seat auditorium; and Belmont Methodist Church began
construction on its new sanctuary. Organized
labor considered a strike at the railway, but
this was averted when the U.S. Supreme Court
narrowly ruled (5-4) that the 8-hour work day
was Constitutional.
Roanoke City Mills built its facility, including five-story high silos, on Jefferson
Street, and the N&W Railway completed its new freight depot (now the Virginia
Museum of Transportation). The city council began consideration of transitioning to
THEROANOKER.COM
http://www.THEROANOKER.COM
The Roanoker - November/December 2017
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Roanoker - November/December 2017
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - Intro
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - Cover1
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - Cover2
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 3
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 4
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 5
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 6
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 7
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 8
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 9
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 10
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 11
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 12
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 13
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 14
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 15
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 16
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 17
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 18
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 19
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 20
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 21
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 22
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 23
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 24
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 25
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 26
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 27
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 28
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 29
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 30
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 31
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 32
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 33
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 34
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 35
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 36
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 37
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 38
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 39
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 40
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 41
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 42
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 43
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 44
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 45
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 46
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 47
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 48
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 49
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 50
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 51
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 52
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 53
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 54
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 55
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 56
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 57
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 58
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 59
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 60
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 61
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 62
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 63
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 64
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 65
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 66
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 67
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 68
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 69
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 70
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 71
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 72
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 73
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 74
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 75
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 76
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 77
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 78
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 79
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 80
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 81
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 82
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 83
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 84
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 85
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 86
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 87
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 88
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 89
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 90
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 91
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 92
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 93
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 94
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 95
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 96
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 97
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 98
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 99
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 100
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 101
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 102
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 103
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 104
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 105
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 106
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 107
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 108
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 109
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 110
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 111
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 112
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 113
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 114
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - Cover3
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - Cover4
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 118
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 119
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 120
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 121
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 122
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 123
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 124
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 125
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 126
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 127
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 128
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 129
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 130
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 131
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 132
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 133
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 134
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 135
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 136
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 137
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 138
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 139
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 140
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 141
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 142
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 143
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 144
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 145
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 146
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 147
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 148
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 149
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 150
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 151
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 152
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 153
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 154
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 155
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 156
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 157
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 158
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 159
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 160
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 161
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 162
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 163
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 164
The Roanoker - November/December 2017 - 165
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/the-roanoker-march-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/the-roanoker-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/RKRND21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/RKRSO21
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/TheRoanokerJA2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20210506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20210304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_2020_1112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/TheRoanoker_JulyAugust2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/TheRoanoker_MayJune2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/roanoker_201402
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com