As the North Carolina heat continues to broil us all, many are sitting in our offices daydreaming about our upcoming vacations or perhaps ones that have just past.  North Carolinians who worked in factories across the state were much the same in the middle of the 20th century.  Company newspapers, which shared news about the company itself, the town the factory was in, and the people who worked for the company, would often feature vacation announcements in the summer months to report on where everyone was returning from after a nice week off.  DigitalNC has several company newspapers available online, including the Erwin Chatter and Firestone News.

The Erwin Chatter, was published by employees of the Erwin Cotton Mills Company in Cooleemee, North Carolina.  It appears that at the mill, everyone took “vacation week” at the same time.  The paper reported, often with a bit of humor, the travels of everyone.

The Firestone News, put out by the employees of the Firestone Tire Factory in Gastonia, North Carolina, also featured updates on employees vacations, separated out by the department they worked in, and sometimes included the employee’s job description as well.

So if you haven’t figured out vacation yet, perhaps these news clips can give you a few ideas.  Myrtle Beach appears to be a particular favorite, or perhaps you could motor through the North Carolina mountains and go fishing.  To view more North Carolina newspapers, visit here.