To have anything like an adequate idea of what the owners of the Boulevard Addition in North Greenwood are doing and propose to do, one must go on the grounds to see what is being done.
C. W. Crockett's house is being moved out of the way of the Boulevard, which will be an eighty foot street from the Yazoo to Tallahatchie bridges. This street is now being graded and concrete walks and shade trees planted. The blocks on each side of the Boulevard are 400 by 420 feet with a twenty foot alley running parallel to the boulevard. All of these blocks are to be graded and made perfectly level. Sewer pipe is now on the ground and will be laid down these alley ways. This pipe, by means of the use of the latest improved methods of sewerage and drainage, will serve for both sewerage and surface drainage. Artesian wells are to bored and water mains laid down the center of the Boulevard. Parties purchasing lots will get both sewerage and water free. Provisions are also made for a handsome park between the addition and the city. This park will be fixed up by the owners of the addition and should prove a great attraction, as it will be only a block from the other end of the bridge.
Truly the owners of this addition have undertaken to do things on a large scale and it is going to take a big outlay of money, but the Boulevard, when completed as now contemplated, will be the prettiest and swellest piece of property anywhere in the South.
From the Greenwood Enterprise, April 21, 1910
The owners of the Boulevard Addition to North Greenwood, a part of the W. C. George plantation, will begin laying sewers and water mains Monday, March 28, 1910. Owners of cattle are requested to take up their stock before the above date, as it is dangerous for stock to be at large during the progress of this work.
Notice is therefore served that stock will be taken up and impounded after the above date according to law.
From the Greenwood Enterprise, April 28, 1910
Mayor D. S. Humphreys informs The Commonwealth that everything in North Greenwood is "going good". Splendid street work is progressing nicely, a water wagon for street sprinkling has been ordered and will arrive in time to keep down the dust, and other improvements will soon be made over there. The town officials are all striving to make "Quality Ridge" the desirable residence suburb of the "Gem City of the Delta", and we wish for our thrifty neighbors continued success in their enterprising efforts.
From The Commonwealth, February 9, 1912
North Greenwood (better and more familiarly known as Quality Ridge) is justly proud of the fact that not a piece of property in that prosperous little town had to be advertised for taxes delinquent this year. Quality Ridge now has the advantages of a good school, many handsome residences, an up-to-date street sprinkler, and Mayor D. S. Humphreys intimates that street paving over there is not all unlikely at some not very distant date in the future. We congratulate our North Greenwood neighbors upon many evidences of prosperity, which they are enjoying.
From The Commonwealth, March 29, 1912
North Greenwood officially ceased to exist today when Thomas A. Turnor, town clerk, turned the books of that municipality over to the Chancery Clerk. The action had been contemplated for some time, and all necessary steps taken toward the abolition of the municipality in a legal and orderly manner.
North Greenwood was incorporated as a village in 1905 and had a separate government since that time. Forming as it does, one of the most populous and beautiful residence sections of Greenwood, yet lying outside the limits of the City of Greenwood; with its citizens among the leading business men and property holders of Greenwood, yet having no voice in the management of municipal affairs; having no fire protection, North Greenwood as a municipality has never functioned satisfactorily as a municipality, and for the past several months no effort to carry on the functions of municipal government has been made.
The only logical thing to be done, according to the residents, was to abolish the municipality, as a first step toward extending the city limits of Greenwood to include the territory.
Those citizens living in North Greenwood are among the most progressive of Greenwood's business men, and it is stated that no difficulty is anticipated in having the city limits extended to include the territory across the river.
From The Greenwood Daily Commonwealth, October 18, 1922
Furnishing of city water in the Boulevard addition to North Greenwood was authorized by the City Council last night at its regular session, with the passage of a resolution, stating that it appears to be necessary to extend the city water mains to the Boulevard Addition to North Greenwood, and it appears that certain restrictions are in the way. The city attorney is instructed to take the necessary action to remove said restrictions and to institute such suits as are necessary. Mr. M. F. Pierce, city attorney, is investigating to determine the proper course of action.
From The Greenwood Daily Commonwealth, October 7, 1925
A motion was filed Saturday by attorneys representing the city of Greenwood seeking the dissolution of an injunction secured by S. L. Gwin restraining the city from proceeding with an eminent domain action to acquire joint rights to lay water mains and sewers in the streets of the Boulevard addition.
The motion is set for hearing on Thursday, August 16.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, August 13, 1928
The laying of water mains to the Boulevard addition of North Greenwood was begun this morning by the city forces, and the work will be pushed, it is stated, to rapid completion.
The mains will provide water for domestic purposes and fire protection through the entire Boulevard section, which has been without city water since being taken into the corporate limits in 1922.
Extension of city water to this territory has been the subject of much litigation, and two suits are now pending in Supreme Court to determine the legal status of the city limit extension, which included this territory, and to determine the amount of damages sustained by the proprietors of the addition by the laying of the mains.
Residents of the section are watching the progress of the work in their streets with much interest.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, October 10, 1929
Pouring of concrete on the Grand Boulevard paving project is well under way by the Soclay Paving Company, which has the contract for the paving work now under construction in this city.
Boulevard will be paved with brick on concrete base. One side of the street is being paved at a time to allow traffic to proceed without interruption.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, January 2, 1931
We have been notified by a number of residents of Grand Boulevard that horseback riders are using the parking space for a bridle path. Considerable work has been done to beautify these plots, and we particularly request that you cooperate with us in keeping both horses and automobiles off the grass in that these things destroy the beauty of this section of the city.
City of Greenwood,
W. K. CLEMENTS
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, September 11, 1934
Eminent domain proceedings have been started by City Attorney A. H. Bell for the acquisition of the rights of way for gas mains and electric light lines in the Boulevard addition to North Greenwood.
Suit seeking to condemn the rights of way for these utilities has been filed in the Circuit Court after the City Council had adopted an ordinance declaring the necessity for the public welfare and convenience of such acquisition.
The Boulevard Addition to North Greenwood, laid out some twenty-five years ago, had retained all rights to the streets for gas lines, electric light lines, and electric railways in private hands. These rights are now owned by S. L. Gwin, and the suit is against him, and others holding any interest in rights of way along Grand Boulevard.
By permission of the holders of the rights of way, electric lines were installed by the city when the addition was opened, but residents of that addition have not been able to secure gas connections.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, October 13, 1934
Work began this morning on widening Grand Boulevard. Four feet will be taken from each side of the center strip and given to the roadways, making the street a total of eight feet wider. A white way of lights will be placed down the narrowed center section when the work is complete.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, December 26, 1940
As a part of the street improvement work now under way in North Greenwood, new sidewalks are being laid on the first block of Grand Boulevard.
The work of widening Grand Boulevard is now under way.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, January 31, 1941
Construction work has begun on the north end of Grand Boulevard from the caution light to the Tallahatchie River Bridge. The stretch will be concrete or asphalt with concrete curb and gutters on the sides. Center strip will be the same as remainder of the Boulevard. General S. R. Keesler stated that one side of the drive will be open for traffic at all times.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, July 16, 1941
Today more than 1200 magnificent oak trees which line the intersecting side streets and form the cathedral arch on Grand Boulevard make Greenwood, Mississippi, one of the most beautiful little cities in the nation.
This outstanding achievement in community beautification is the result of long range planning and many years of faithful effort on the part of Mrs. Gwin.
The former Bend Plantation was platted as a subdivision by an experienced city-planning engineer and under Mrs., Gwin�s direction, the first tree planting was begun in 1912. With permission from owners of neighboring woodlands, oak saplings were selected according to symmetry and variety. She measured the required distance between each planting on the streets, an exact 25 feet, and supervised the crew of Negroes who dug the holes, moved the trees from the woods, and reset them according to rigid specifications. Since tree planting is necessarily a seasonal operation, it took eight winters to complete the plantings of oaks from the Yazoo Bridge to the Tallahatchie. The last trees were set out in 1919.
In the meantime, Mrs. Gwin had shelter-forms built to protect each young tree from blazing summer sun, and work crews hauled barrels of water by wagon each summer night to water the young trees, and from season to season, the trees were sprayed against attacking scale and insects. They were carefully pruned year by year to keep them in proper symmetry, and were protected, too, from zealous young committees who desired to change their layout. The trees flourished under this continuing care and the few losses were immediately replaced with the same effort.
Now, in 1950, the infinite patience, unstinted time, care and planning is seen in the living memorial of more than 100 mature oak trees which border our streets, and set our city above others in beauty and charm.
Mrs. Sally Humphreys Gwin is now a member of the Greenwood Garden Club.
From The Morning Star, April 22, 1950