Dresden was a farming community in the late 1950’s. Two of
the primary farming commodities for Dresden and Weakley Co.TN. were
potatoes and cotton and those were two of the items that never seemed
to be in short supply around the depot
Since there was not a rail spur to the gin, all the large bales
had to be wrapped at the mill and then transported to the depot
platform for loading into boxcars.
Directly across the tracks from the depot was a cinder block building
that was used as a potato storage building -- sorting potatoes for
shipment by truck and rail. These too were brought across the tracks
to the depot for shipment by railcar.
To
the south of the depot stood old stockyards and next to that was
a coal yard replete with a dump pit and conveyor under the track.
Just south of the coal yard was the foundation of an old icehouse.
During the 1950’s the stockyards was still receiving hogs
and cattle, the coal yard still did a small amount of business,
but the icehouse was long gone. Though all three establishments
had had access to the NC&St.L at one time or another, none were
by that time doing any shipping or receiving by rail.
(Note: the above are excerpts dealing with Dresden, taken from
the article "Growing Up On the Ole' NC&St.L" by Terry
Coats. The complete article can be read here.)
Dresdon incorporated in 1827
Population
1960 1,510
1970 1,939
1980 2,256
1990 2,488
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