Wayne County, NC - Heritage Series Reprinted with permission of the Mount Olive Tribune and cannot be reproduced without permission. Transcribed by Sloan Mason. "Our Heritage" by Claude MOORE Mt. Olive Tribune (no date) THE FAISON IMPROVEMENT GROUP The little town of Faison, with a population of around 700 has recently organized a Faison Improvement Group (incorporated June 13, 1990) with 42 members with the objectives of working together for almost anything that will improve the quality of life in Faison. They first met in June 1989, at the suggestion of Peggy CATES. This original meeting was based primarily on the litter problem in Faison. There was enthusiasm and interest and there was discussion of recreation, downtown and residential improvement, planning and development. The principal mission of this group is as follows: to make Faison an All American town; to cooperate with the town and county government in helping to obtain economic and developmental growth for the present and the future and to offer high quality volunteer services through community-minded, self- motivated individuals. The group is headed by David ROSE of Turkey, branch manager of the Branch Bank & Trust Co. of Warsaw. I have known David for many years and I know him to be energetic and very capable. Under his leadership several projects are already underway to beautify and renovate the town. Faison has one large supermarket and does not yet have a shopping center to detract from downtown development. Some of Faison's assets are: that many historical and old houses; the produce market that sells around one million packages a year; the medical clinic; a bank; three thriving churches; the interchange with interstate 40; North Carolina highways 50 and 403, and U.S. 117 all run through town, the Cates Pickle Company; the Seaboard Coast line has a daily freight train running from Rocky Mount to Clinton; and a veterinarian. Faison has a fine fire department, a rescue squad, a public library and a community building. Faison was founded as a town when the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad was completed in 1840 and it was named for the family of Henry FAISON (1744-1877) who received a land grant of nearly one thousand acres just prior to the American Revolution. The first post office was called Wrightsville and was located near North Duplin School. It was moved into Faison and one of the early postmasters was Jacob BLOOMINGDALE, a Jewish merchant, who later founded the famous Bloomingdale's Store on 5th Avenue in New York. For a long tine, the town of Faison was largely made up of the plantation families who moved into town. There were several fine private schools in Faison before the coming of public schools. Faison is located in the middle of a fertile farming country extending in every direction. At first the farm people were dependent on the naval stores, cattle, hogs, and cotton. Later tobacco became a flourishing money crop. After the turn of the century, truck farming was introduced and today it is the largest market for vegetables in the south. Faison and Mount Olive share the title of pickle capital of the world. I spoke of the Faison Improvement Group recently on the historical background of Faison, and I mentioned that Faison has a rich historical heritage and a number of fine old homes. Faison was the home of the late Mary Lyde Hicks WILLIAMS, distinguished artist and portrait painter; John Sprunt HILL of Durham, lawyer, financier and philanthropist; Dr. John M. FAISON, doctor, editor and member of congress; Brigadier General Sam. L. FAISON of World War I fame; and of late, Dr. William THORNTON, medical astronaut of Houston, Texas. The Faison Improvement Group has the following committee: Verna TAYLOR, vice president and public relations; Barbara GUY, director of parks and recreation; Eleanor TUCKER, director of residential improvements; Guy GRISWOLD, director of planning and development; Peggy CATES and Jane HOLLINGSWORTH serve as liaison with the town of Faison; Chester AYCOCK, ways and means advising unit; Glenn and Melba BREWER, director of beautification; Harriet TAYLOR, director of downtown improvement; and Michael LOCKAMY, clean and sweep and Adopt-A-Highway. ============================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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