2023 Painted Piano Festival

Downtown Thomasville NC is hosting a Painted Piano Festival this Friday that features a collection of pianos that have been painted by local artists, each with its unique design and style. Visitors are encouraged to play the pianos and enjoy the music, creating a communal experience that is both entertaining and inspiring. One of the goals of the festival is to promote the arts and shops in the local community. The festival has inspired many local stores and artists to create their own painted pianos, which can be found in various locations throughout the city. Overall, the Painted Piano Festival is a vibrant celebration of creativity, music, and community. Whether you're a music lover or an art enthusiast, this festival is sure to delight and inspire you.

Find out more information by clicking on the event page below:

https://facebook.com/events/s/painted-piano-festival/806247077515885/

The Dryes Headlining Everybody's Night on September 29th

Come celebrate our wonderful city here in Thomasville, North Carolina on September 29th, 2023l We are so excited to announce our amazing hometown headliner, The Dryes. They will be performing a LIVE CONCERT in Downtown Thomasville. This will be one of the biggest evenings of the year with live music, food trucks, beer garden, and so much more! Everybody’s Night will be held from 5:30PM to 9:30PM and is COMPLETELY FREE!

About The Dryes:

If there was ever a time that country music needed a duo like The Dryes, it’s now. Since premiering on Season 22 of NBC’s “The Voice”, joining Team Blake, The Dryes have already caught the attention of millions, gaining the hearts of new fans and followers along the way.

Meet the Thomasville Tourism Team

When you walk into The Depot, you will always be greeted with a friendly smile! We are always excited to have visitors from the community and especially those from out of town! Our team is dedicated to making the most out of your visit! So, make sure to stop in and learn about the history of Thomasville, NC.

One of our volunteers, Cheryle Parrish, is always fun to have around! As a native to Thomasville, she is able to provide you with some fun facts about Thomasville’s history. She is the most creative one of the team and she always knows how to make your day a little brighter! (left side of picture)

Our other volunteer, Donna Orman, is just as fun and creative! (You can tell that her and Cheryle are sisters!) She enjoys decorating The Depot for special occasions, especially at Christmas. Donna grew up in Thomasville, so she is very knowledgable about the best places to visit and shop! (not pictured)

Sharon Hinkle makes sure that we stay current with our “to do lists” as our wonderful Office Manager. Her passion for finance and organization is a great asset to the team. She loves the adrenaline of fast cars, so you will always find her at the racetrack! (middle, left side of picture)

Where would we be without our amazing Tourism Director, Cameron Marsden? Her passion and vision to bring visitor’s to Thomasville shows daily. She is always coming up with new and fun ideas! As a new mother, she enjoys bringing her daughter to all of the events around town. (middle, right side of picture).

Hinkle Milling Company

Hinkle Milling Company

Grist, flour, and feed were essential commodities for the early people of Thomasville. Most grist mills were run by water power and sat on the banks of a river or creek to easily access that power. The first flour and grist mill in Thomasville was owned by founder John W. Thomas. Thomas owned the first steam-operated mill in Davidson County and the only one in the county until 1880 that was not located on a stream or creek.

Hinkle Milling was the longest operating mill and most notable. Many of our citizens remember going to Hinkle Milling for agri-supply needs such as animal feed. It sat on present day Randolph Street by North Hamby Creek; where Loflin's Restaurant resides.

February 1892 The Lexington Dispatch stated: "G. R. Miller has completed a saw mill on the grounds where the flour mill stood--also has laid a foundation for a roller mill." Miller sold the mill later that year to Capt. J. E. Sumner who owned flour and grist mills on Swearing Creek and other parts of the county. Sumner completed the mill and named it 'Eureka.' Sumner was the grandfather of notable Thomasville citizen, J. Walter Lambeth Jr. 4 years after Sumner bought the mill, he sold it to D. T. Lambeth & Sons and George Yow took over as head miller. "One of the familiar sights in Thomasville in those days was the Orphanage wagon drawn by oxen and driven by the older orphan boys going to and from the roller mill (Matthews & Sink, 1952)."

John W. Lambeth bought the mill from his father and brothers in 1899 and operated it until 1905 when it was sold to M. E. Bishop. Bishop renamed the mill "Thomasville Roller Mills' and it grew steadily with the town population for the nine years he operated it. In 1914 W. G. Hinkle bought the roller mill and the name was changed to 'Hinkle Milling Company'; the last name the building would ever receive.

W.G. Hinkle handed operations over in 1946 to his two sons, months before his death. At the time the mill was doing an annual business of over $500,000 and employed between 12 and 14 workers. The mill was shut down for good in 1989 and razed in 1992.

North Hamby Creek is not much to look at on Randolph Street. It may seem small and dinky, but it once supplied our town with life in the form of feed and flour. To know the change that creek as seen over the years would be a treasure.