Skip to main content

Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company Records

 Collection
Identifier: SC 0299
  • Not requestable

  • Staff Only

Scope and Content

The Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company Records, 1890-1892, comprise one folder of financial records documenting the activities of Augusta County's Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company. Documents include invoices; receipts; cancelled checks; a prospectus of the Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company; and other assorted financial records. As treasurer of Basic City Mining, J. A. Wise frequently received and/or signed the aforementioned documents. Billheads for Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company and Basic City Iron Works are included.

Dates

  • 1890-1892

Creator

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collection Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Administrative History

Jacob Reese, an industrialist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, purchased land (including Lithia Spring) near what is now Waynesboro, Virginia and on December 6, 1889, in partnership with several other developers, incorporated as the Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company. The company owned more than 2,000 acres on both sides of the South River and east to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Basic City, Virginia was incorporated as a town on March 3, 1890 at the approval of the Virginia General Assembly. The town purchased land from Basic City Mining for $25,000. Samuel Forrer (1838-1916) served as the company's president with J. A. Wise as treasurer, M. A. Booker as secretary, Edward McMahon as first vice president, C. A. Holt as second vice president, and Edward Echols as third vice president.

The town of Basic City merged with Waynesboro in 1924 at the recommendation of the state legislature's Committee on Counties, Cities, and Towns.

Extent

0.08 cubic feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company Records, 1890-1892, comprise one folder of financial records documenting the activities of Augusta County's Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company.

Arrangement

The documents are housed in one folder.

Acquisition Information

Acquired from Tim Abbott Americana in November 2019.

Bibliography

  • MacMaster, Richard K. Augusta County History: 1865-1950. Staunton: Augusta County Historical Society, 1987.
  • Waynesboro Historical Commission. "The Founding of Basic City, Virginia to its merger with Waynesboro, Virginia: 1890-1923." Waynesboro: Waynesboro Historical Commission, 2005.
Title
A Guide to the Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company Records, 1890-1892
Status
Completed
Author
Tiffany Cole
Date
November 2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the James Madison University Libraries Special Collections Repository

Contact:
820 Madison Drive
MSC 1706
Harrisonburg Virginia 22807
(540) 568-3612