From Our Readers: Artful Sheds and Praise for TEMA

Work of art

My wife, Kathleen, and I are dog and horse lovers and gardeners. We recently retired from teaching art, and the transition made it evident that we both needed a shed. I built this shed for my wife’s Christmas present. The wood was harvested on our property from diseased, damaged, dead or cull trees and sawn at a neighbor’s sawmill. The hinges and stained glass windows are flea market finds. The clear glass windows were salvaged from the landfill. The project was more like creating a sculpture than a building. I can hardly wait to see what my wife does with the landscaping.

Preston & Kathleen Roberts, Hays, Surry-Yadkin EMC

Why is it called Greasy Corner?

From Brenda S. Hartley, Blue Ridge EMC: “Joyner’s Corner in the April issue wants more info about Greasy Corner. I grew up in Davie. Years ago four service stations sat on the corners of the intersection of two roads, between Mocksville and Cooleemee. Therefore the intersection was referred to as Greasy Corner by the local folks.” Sherri Russell, Harry Wallace, Debby Harris and Greg Bowers also knew this.

From David R. Keck Sr., Boone, Blue Ridge EMC: “In 1967, when I first moved to Boone as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, I found out that our corner was called Greasy Corner. It’s where Hwy. 421 (King Street) intersects with Hwy. 321 (Blowing Rock Road). The church occupies one corner, and the other three corners had gas stations on each, one beside the Daniel Boone Inn. All three are now gone, but Grace Lutheran Church still holds down its corner. Just sayin’.” Doyle Pace knew this, too.

From Bill Post, Vilas, Blue Ridge EMC: “I lived in Hickory for years and now outside of Boone. Both places had an intersection called Greasy Corner. In each town, they were intersections with several gas stations on the corners in the 1940s and 1950s.”
Kimberly Surratt and her mother said the Greasy Corner in Marion was named for “greasers,” like “the ones who would hang out at popular places to get seen and see other people.”

Kevin Ellis of The Gaston Gazette last fall looked into Greasy Corner at the intersection of West Franklin Avenue and Vance Street in Gastonia, near the old Loray Mill. He found no reference to gas stations. Instead, people said the name came from when a truck overturned sending 500 pounds of lard onto the street, or for the “greasy spoon” restaurants in that area, or the nearby slaughterhouse, or a beauty salon.

“One of the dumbest laws”

In the March issue, a guy wrote in about the North Carolina law that requires drivers to turn on their headlights when it’s raining. Personally, I think this is one of the dumbest laws that North Carolina has. We drove without this law for years and got along just fine. If you forget to turn your lights off when you get to where you are going, it could run your battery down. Nobody wants to be left stranded with a dead battery.

Jimmy Roddy, Asheboro, Randolph EMC

Thank goodness

Thank goodness for Tar Heel Electric Membership Association (TEMA), a glowing star in North Carolina’s attitude toward being a good neighbor for anyone in need. [“Help Is on the Way,” March 2015] During February’s catastrophic weather, we did not lose power, but I know there was overpowering joy for thousands as electric co-op repair crews came rumbling down roads. And they multiplied tenfold at night as truck lights slowly moved past homes to spot downed wires, remove and restore power. Thanks to TEMA and the co-ops for a job well done.

James Jordan Jr., Macon, Halifax EMC