Editor:

Many years ago the town of Ingold had seven stores, a post office, three churches, a doctor, a Masonic Lodge and several other businesses. It was close to being named the county seat.

Then the railroad went through Clinton and Garland. Business people started to move away to the railroad transportation access.

The old Ingold school was replaced with Taylors Bridge-Ingold school, then Union. Mr. Leonard Puryear used to say that the reason all the young people left was because all the old people thought they could take their land to heaven with them. The young people couldn’t gt land to build their homes.

A new Highway 701 bypass bypassed Ingold. But there was still road signs directing drivers to Ingold on both ends of the old highway.

One store and the post office stayed open into the 90s. Mrs. Angela Tew was the store operator. Angela could make hot dogs and make crafts that were beautiful. She could take a round hoop cheese basket and make a great looking whatever. She made dolls and other crafts to sell to the customers when they came in for their lunch. It was a great place for the farmers and their field hands to get a cool drink and nab.

One of the last post masters was an Army veteran with the nickname of “Too Cool.” He had been an interpreter for General Noriega in Panama. The Hispanics lined up to buy money orders since “Too Cool” could speak Spanish. It was said that more money went through that post office than larger ones just because he could speak the language.

The national and state weather centers even today still mention Ingold whenever there is inclement weather. They even show it on the map between Clinton and Garland.

But sadly, our Department of Transportation has chosen not to keep the signs directing travelers to Ingold. There are currently four churches and over 60 homes in the community. The sign was in place and paid for until last year. Contacts at DOT claim that it was probably a contractor that took the sign down. Ingold lost its last piece of dignity.

Good questions would be: doesn’t the DOT have any control over their contractors? If the signs were already up why take them down?

Yes DOT has been contacted and no one has an answer!

Terry Williams

Ingold, NC