Rural Hall

Rural Hall has one of the many unique town naming stories in the Piedmont.  The Northern Forsyth County town dates back to the 18th century as German American Revolutionary War veterans settled here.  Anthony Bitting was one of the community's earliest settlers.

A descendant of Bitting, Benjamin L. Bitting, operated a post office out of his home.  Bitting's home included a wide hall known as "The Hall." "The Hall" was frequently used as an address for mail delivery to the area.  In need of a more formal name to eliminate confusion within the postal system, the community became known as Rural Hall.  Rural Hall would formally incorporate as a town in 1974.

The Rural Hall Rail depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.  It has since been restored.

Railroads were the key to Rural Hall's growth in the 19th century.  Two lines would initiate out of Rural Hall.  A line to North Wilkesboro by the Richmond & Danville began operation in 1890.  Two years earlier, a line to Mount Airy operated by the Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley initiated service.  Today, both lines are operated by the Yadkin Valley Railroad with Rural Hall as the center of operations.

Rural Hall is a small railroad town - old brick storefronts and ghost signs are part of the townscape.

Rural Hall is now a community of over 3,400 residents.  The town is known as the "Garden Spot of the World" and is home to a local garden club that meets on the fourth Monday of every month.

All photos taken by post author - June 2010.

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