City History:
1906-1956
Golden Anniversary
of Galax, Virginia
August 5-11, 1956
By Frank M. Heaster
Dear Hearts and Gentle People. The name signed at the end of this introduction may fall hard upon the ears of native Galax and Twin Counties folk. For I am not a native, and, in fact, have been a resident for only ihe past three years.
Yet, it fell my lot to get together a history of Galax for this souvenir booklet for an occasion marking the City's 50th and Golden Anniversary. Be assured that I claim no credit for the history as it will shortly be presented.
Several people deserve the applause for the work and chiefly among them is a man in his late seventies, Ed Cox, and a teenager, Charles Bolt, a 1956 graduate of Galax High School.
It is almost unbelievable that two persons so apart in age could contribute so much to the history of Galax. Mr. Cox has spent most of his life in the Galax area and he contributes the background for these mementoes.
Charles Bolt, probably more at home on a football field or a basketball court, brings us up to date.
Ed Cox prepared for the Anniversary committee notes on the background of Galax, and Charles Bolt, not thinking of the Jubilee, did his story as an English assignment.
Mr. Cox, who lives in a tidy log cabin on the Baywood Road, knows perhaps more history of the Twin Counties than any other person. His notes for the Jubilee Committee are authentic to the nth degree.
The Bolt youth took his assignment in English seriously, talked to scores of Galax old-timers, read a mountain of clippings, and then wrote his assignment with a deep and sincere sense of responsibility.
Mike Crabill, who was publisher of the Galax Post Herald, was indispensable when it came to doing Galax. His story "Why Is Galax" which appeared in Virginia and the Virginia County in 1950, is not only unique in the manner in which it is written but also is flavorful of his home country.
Mike is a walking encyclopedia of facts about early Galax. Although not a native, he came here early enough to learn to know every mud-hole on Main street and every man by his first name. Mike has been busy for years enjoying Galax and Carroll and Grayson counties. And his enjoyment of his home country permeates this history.
This writer couldn't stop an introduction without acknowledging the help of Dewey Kegley of Oldtown. Dewey could always be counted on to contribute a picture, a fact, or a story of his beloved Galax.
So it is that folks like Ed Cox, Charles Bolt, Mike Crabill, Munsey Poole, Dewey Kegley, "Date" Day, IL D. Beamer and others too numerous to mention gave this writer inspiration for helping start this 50th Golden Anniversary celabration; and for getting into publishable form, a brief histroy of Galax.
Boaz Studio was also very helpful in helping us find sultable nagatives from which have have pictures made for use in the booklet. Several individuals aided in selection.
So until the l00th anniversary rolls around, I would wish for all Galax, present and past, residents 50 more years of happiness and prosperity and challenge the youngster of today to make the 100th anniversary a mountain compared to the molehill of this celebration of 1956.
What the future of Galax, the nation and the world holds cannot be seen. As OmarKyayyam in the Rubaiyat wrote.... "There was the Door to which I found no key; There was the Veil thorugh which I might not see." Perhaps the future is as Pinoro wrote... "only the past again entered through another gate."
If that is true surely the year 2006 the 100th year of the city's life, will find Galax exceedingly more prosperous and, I hope, as friendly, as neighborly, and as warm-hearted as it is in this year, 1956.
Frank M. Heaster
Pioneers, Ghosts, Bonaparte and Galax
By Ed Cox
One
of the earliest settlers of this area was Flower Swift, who settled and
built his cabin near the present camp of the Kiwanis Club camp on New River,
west of Oldtown, and his land extended up to the present town of Oldtown.
One of his daughters married Major George Currin, who had migrated from North Carolina and he purchased a tract of land off the Buchanan survey, which included all the land now where the City of Galax is located.
He built his home on the lot where Dr. Virgil Cox's house now stands and raised his family. One of his daughters married Thompson Roberts, who had come from North Carolina, and they in turn became the owner of the farm of his father-in-law, who also raised a large family at the old home place.
His youngest son, Thomas F. Roberts, owned the home place when the Railway was extended up to its present site and the town of Galax was started.
