Much of the disadvantage to the development of that part of the business section of Lexington surrounding the court square will be overcome within a few weeks, when the entire square will be surrounded by a 20-foot asphalt driveway of the same type as the principal streets of the city.
To keep pace with this improvement the three plats beside the one containing the court house will be beautified. Already a considerable amount of small shrubbery has been planted on the two plats east of Main Street. On the mound in the northeast plat will stand the Davidson County soldier memorial. Already a little cement walkway has been laid from the sidewalk to the edge of the mount where the bronze tablet containing the names of the county soldier dead will appear. This walkway is also fringed with shrubbery. On the court square will also be placed a Gatling gun and a pyramid of cannon balls, carrying further the military idea embodied by the memorial shaft.
The southeast plat is also being beautified in similar manner, with the concrete foundation in the center to be brought into the scheme of beautification, but not as a fountain. Above this old fountain for several years rested a bandstand, which was torn away several weeks ago, but which is being preserved and may be used in a city playground scheme that is expected to take definite form during the year.
The northeast plat contains the Daniel Boone and General Green markers on a big native granite boulder. Here important changes are to take place including the removal of several trees. One of these is the big oak standing in front of the R.L. Leonard building, this being one of the forest giants still left in Lexington.
How old this great tree is not the oldest citizen here knows definitely, but it certain that it was a goodly oak before the oldest man or woman living in Lexington was born. A mate to this tree stood down where the Harmon building is situated and when it was cut down several years ago to make room for building it was found by counting the rings that it was well above the century mark. In order to make room for the driveway around the northeast plat it was necessary to cut down a splendid shade tree near the front of the J.F. Ward Co., store building.
While final action has not been taken by the city commissioners in regard to extending the drive way around by “law row,” this is expected to be done, thus surrounding the court square with a splendid asphalt drive.
Around a portion at least of the square is expected that “white way” stands will be erected by some of the property owners.
While the work above described is being done some changes are also being made around the Confederate monuments. The sharp corners from the base of the monument jutting out into Main Street on the north and south sides are being removed. On these corners had rested light posts, which have frequently been knocked down by automobiles turning around the monument. Cutting away these corners is expected to eliminate much of this trouble in making the turn.
From the front page of The Dispatch, Lexington, N.C., April 3, 1922
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