Cameron History
Cameron was named for Paul Cameron, an official of the railroad. In 1876, an act by the General Assembly made Cameron an incorporated town. The railroad brought boom times to Cameron, and it’s influence was obvious, the town’s ‘city limits’ were set in a one mile square radiating out from the train depot. The town grew rapidly and soon was a bustling commercial center with several mercantile stores, six turpentine distilleries, a millstone company, and a carriage works. Winery and hosiery mills were added by the early 1900’s and by 1920, there were two hotels, ten general stores, three saloons and one drugstore. From 1880 to 1890 the population exploded from 117 to 218 residents. During this time period the Muse Brothers Store in Cameron was known as the largest department store between Richmond, Virginia and Augusta, Georgia.
Unfortunately the dewberry patch is a one-crop situation and the bushes soon aged and no new ones were planted. By the 1950’s the dewberry industry had completely died and was replaced by tobacco, which became the major cash crop for years to come. Cameron history has long been anchored by farming and agricultural endeavors, and tobacco brought much money and growth into the area.
People come from as far away as Maryland and Georgia to partake in the search for new “old treasures”. Cameron history for years has brought visitors and new residents looking for the quieter lifestyle to this sleepy little town. If you have a day, take a drive to Cameron and walk through some of the shops. Take a look at some of the architecture as you stroll along the main drag. Victorian and Bungalow style homes dot the landscape, a lot of which have never been touched. If you love history, you'll feel right at home. Does your family have ties to Cameron history? Tell us about it here.
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Early Cameron history emerges as Three Goodman brothers offered Major John Scott every other lot for a
mile on either side of the railroad tracks if he would arrange it so that
the railroad would run through their land. Major Scott accepted the offer
and in 1857 the Raleigh and Augusta railroad came to Cameron, and for quite
a while that was the end of the line. A variety of merchants and residents
came with the railroad and with that a community was established.
The sandy soil in Cameron was the perfect mixture to grow Lucretia
Dewberries and in 1892, those dewberries put Cameron on the map. The
Lucretia Dewberry is a milder version of the blackberry with superior taste
and the cultivated blackberry was soon growing on farms all around the
community, attracting buyers from as far away as Florida. Cameron was known
as “The World’s Largest Dewberry Market”.
Currently there are over 300 residents living in this laid back residential
community. However, when the first Saturday in May and the first Saturday in
October roll around, you can expect
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