LEGENDARY COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 10-1-16

Dorman & Smyth Hardware Co.

There is a building in downtown Salisbury on the SE corner of W. Main and Market Streets that was built in the late 19th Century as the Dorman & Smyth Hardware Co. It is now known as Parker Place. Ann Taylor has done for this building what time tried to undo. Any building needs constant attention over the years and the sturdiness of this building gave her a sound basis from which to start. At one time it was home to the Thomas R. Young store. They sold pianos and sheet music for many years. The heavy beams visible in the lower level attest to the fact that it was used for some heavy duty when it was a hardware store and this probably made it an ideal store for pianos.

The post card above shows the store about 1907. It was one of the first buildings erected after the devastating fire of 1886 that leveled most of downtown Salisbury. The picture shows the stone construction that was mandatory by the change in the city charter to avoid another disastrous fire.

Below are some of the particulars of the principals in the business.

Levin W. Dorman (wife – Alice)

President of School Board 1892-97

Home address (1907) 302 N. Division St.

(house number changed in Oct. 1952 to 204 N. Division St.)

Died in the early 1930’s – age 83

His photo was found in the “photographic album” of

Jehu Parsons (mayor of Salisbury, 1898-1900).

The photograph of Jehu Parsons from this album

is the one seen hanging in the third floor of the

Government Office Building along with the other

former mayors of Salisbury.

Since both men appear to be in their early 20’s,

the photograph was probably taken around 1870.

Samuel S. Smyth (wife – Lillie)

Home address (1907) 108 W. Isabella St.

(house number changed in Oct. 1952 to 110 W. Isabella St.)

Died in early 1930’s – age 77