1886-1906

1886: The year began with a severe drought; frost and drought caused the failure of crops for all but two years
between 1886 and 1895. The year was full of labor unrest and several labor strikes, including the Haymarket Riot in
Chicago where several policemen were killed when a bomb was tossed by strikers into the Haymarket Square.
Subsequently, several demonstrators were also killed. In a first-ever White House wedding, Democratic President,
Grover Cleveland, married Frances Folsom.

Locally: The river was up 24 feet and caused another flood. Many businesses closed due to a religious evangelist
meeting held at the Opera House; the overflow crowd met at Centenary Church. At 9:30 a.m. on August 31st, a severe
earthquake struck Charleston, SC, and was felt as far north as Lynchburg. The first Baptist Church was dedicated,
and Rev. R. L. Smith was the pastor. A Centennial Fair was held in Lynchburg on October 12th with 25,000 visitors in
town.

1887: The Dawes Severalty Act was passed, which was designed to turn Native Americans into landowners and
farmers. It was proposed to eradicate the "Indian problem" and eliminate them as a culturally distinct entity. The
Interstate Commerce Act established the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Locally: A revival at Memorial Methodist Church resulted in 250 professions of faith. The Rev. Edgar Potts was sent to
Trinity Church - could this have been an uncle of Centenary's Edgar Potts? Carter Glass became editor and
proprietor of "The News." Two RRs consolidated, which resulted in the Lynchburg & Durham RR. Moorman's
Warehouse burned - largest fire since 1883.

1888: A blizzard hit New York City leaving 30-foot drifts. Las Gorras Blancas (the White Caps) raid ranchers in
northern New Mexico. Benjamin Harrison beats Grover Cleveland in presidential race.

1889: The Okalahoma Territory opened for settlement. Jane Addams opened the Hull House in Chicago, a social
center for recent immigrants. The National Farmers' Alliance is formed. Huge industrial gain in rails, steel, and oil. A
naval confrontation with German battleships took place off Samoa. Jefferson Davis died. Booker T. Washington and
Frederick Douglass fight for full equality.

Locally : Pace's Warehouse held a 10-day evangelical service led by Rev. Sam Jones and Rev. Culpeper. Huge
crowds attended, with thousands having to be turned away. An east bound N&W train plunged into a ravine and
many lives were lost.

1890: Indian Ghost Dance movement begins. Wearing sacred "Ghost Shirts" decorated to ward off evil spirits, the
Indians fight to take back their original dominance of the Plains. Sherman Anti-trust Act passed-outlawed trusts and
monopolies that fixed prices in restraint of trade. "The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1670-1783", written by
Capt. Alfred T. Mahan, became a best seller. Food shortage in Europe and a banking crisis in England.

Locally : Population in Lynchburg was 19,725 and wholesale business reached $5,372,000. Industrial expansion
broughtabout 10-hour workweek - many women in Lynchburg worked 65 hours per week. The Rivermont Company
was formed. New Union Depot was completed at 9th and Jefferson Streets, and the Lynchburg & Durham RR was
completed to Durham, NC. The Park Avenue Land Company was organized. The 1890 fair was called "The Boom
Fair." R-MWC site was accepted and funds were raised in three months.

1891: Basketball was invented at Springfield College in Massachusetts. Stanford College, University of Chicago, and
Barnard College for Women were founded.

Locally: New bridge from Main Street to Rivermont was opened. Electric cars started on the West Lynchburg Road.
State medical conference was held in Lynchburg.

1892: Sierra Club organized by John Muir. General Federation of Women's Clubs formed. Grover Cleveland
re-elected as President.

Locally: The cornerstone for Virginia College & Industrial Institute, Morgan College Annex, was laid.

1893: Banks and railroads in crisis - "Panic of 1893" begins and lasts through 1897. World's Fair held in Chicago -
two pastors from our area attended: Rev. W. T. Hull and Rev. J. J. McGurk.

Locally: Very harsh winter. The Carroll Hotel on NE corner of Main & 8th Streets was under construction. Centenary
Church planned for extensive improvements. R-MWC opened with W. W. Smith, as President.

1894: "Coxey's Army marched on Washington to propose a solution to unemployment in the way of a $500 million
publicworks program funded with paper money designated as "legal tender." The Pullman strike occurred. General
Jubal Early died at his home. President Cleveland deeply unpopular.

Locally: First commencement held at R-MWC.

1895: Coney Island amusement parks open in Brooklyn. Supreme Court declares federal income tax
unconstitutional. Banker's loans end drain on gold reserves. U.S. intervenes in Venezuela-British Guiana boundary
dispute. Anti-Saloon League founded. The Art League was organized.

Locally: St. Andrew's Home (hospital) was opened by Drs. Terrell and Lile. Lynchburg experienced one of its worst
droughts in history. The "Liberty Bell" visited Lynchburg.

1896: William McKinley elected President. General Fitzhugh Lee of Lynchburg was appointed Council to Cuba.
Prospect for better times was forecast.

Locally: Lynchburg was recovering from the recession. First State Conference of the Epworth League (Methodist
Young People) was held at Moorman's Warehouse - 1,500 people attended. Another large gathering of young people
was the Fourth General Convention of the Baptist Young People's Union at the First Baptist Church.

1897: Navy was growing in strength and size. India dealing with severe famine. "Klondike Gold Fever" struck the
country.

Locally: Lynchburg's Trader Bank failed. The Crittenden Home for fallen and neglected women was chartered.

1898: U.S. Gross National Product grew by 4.32% each year from 1869-1898. The battleship Maine was ordered to
proceed to the Havana Harbor where it blew up killing 252 of 350 men on board. It was determined that the Maine was
destroyed by a "submarine mine." Spanish-American War began with the battle cry, "avenge the Maine." The Stamp
Act took affect to help pay for the war. Teddy Roosevelt led his "Rough Riders" up San Juan Hill. Peace was declared
in September with Spain suing for peace and Cuba became free. The U.S. buys the Philippine Islands from Spain.

Locally: YMCA convention met in Lynchburg. In June, a large crowd gathered to see the soldiers who were going off
to war. Joint commencement of both Randolph-Macon Colleges (Lynchburg & Ashland).

1899: between 1898 and 1902, there was a guerilla uprising in the Philippines. Open Door Policy begins with China.

Locally: Population of Lynchburg is 32,000. Lynchburg was entering a new-found prosperity. Superintendent E. C.
Glass made excellent progress in making the public schools the "best in the South." The Methodist Protestant
Church under Glimpse (continued) Rev. E. A. Warfield was thriving. The worst snowstorm since 1857 hit the area.
Buffalo Bill came again to Lynchburg with his Wild West Show. A tornado did extensive damage in July of 1899.
Wonderful art exhibit was held.

1900: Population of U. S. was 75.9 million. Brownie camera invented. Currency Act officially places U. S. on gold
standard. International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) founded. Carrie Chapman Catt becomes president
of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Boxer Rebellion in China.

Locally: Miller Park presented as a gift from Samuel Miller. Horse shows replace annual fairs. Corner stone for
Lynchburg's Confederate Memorial was laid in front of Court House at the top of Monument Terrace. Ashbury
Christian, Old Centenary pastor, published famous book, "Lynchburg and Its People."

1901: Panic hits Wall Street. President McKinley assassinated; Teddy Roosevelt becomes President. Roosevelt
invites Booker T. Washington to White House for dinner; met with violent Southern reaction. J. P. Morgan forms U. S.
Steel Company.

1902: Roosevelt acquires the Panama Canal. Roosevelt mediates the coal strike.

1903: Wright Brothers take flight. Henry Ford starts Ford Motor Company.

Locally: The Lynchburg Women's Club was organized with Mrs. William M. Strother as President. A contract was
signed for property with Westover Hotel, when charter was received, to later become Virginia Christian College, and
still later, Lynchburg College.

1904: Roosevelt reelected President. Ice cream invented at St. Louis Worlds' Fair by Ernest Hamuri. Japan launched
a fullscale surprise attack, and the Russian Pacific fleet was demolished. New York subway begins operation.

Locally: Academy of Music opens. Work began on Pedlar water system.

1905: Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) organized. President Roosevelt very popular. The automobile was a $100
million industry.

Material and text drawn from: Boyer, Clark, Kett, Salisbury, Sitkoff, Woloch. The Enduring Vision. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 2004. Moseley, Terrell
D. "Significant Historical Events in World, Nation, State & Lynchburg." Lynchburg, VA, April 2, 2004. Tankersley, Claude N., Jr. and Moseley, Terrell D.
History & Ministry of Centenary United Methodist Church. Lynchburg, VA, December 2005.