In the mid 1920s, this building at 651 West Sullivan Street was the home of King Motor Company, a Studebaker dealership. The owner, E. Ward King, went on to found Mason Dixon Trucking.
In 1929, you could purchase a Studebaker Commander Straight Eight for $1,495. Cars were stored on the second floor, accessed by the ramp out back.
When I was young, this building was a Coca-Cola bottling company. By looking through the front window, you could watch the bottling operation.
This is a 2.25″ pinback promoting Mason Dixon Tank Lines, a division of Mason Dixon Trucking Company, which was in existence until 1984 when the whole company went south after a devastating strike by drivers.
Even the company building on East Stone Drive is gone.
Both of these soft-cover books (8 1/2″ x 11″ each) are quite interesting. “Wings Over Kingsport: Tennessee’s Planned City And Its Industries As Viewed From The Sky” by Richard H. Alvey was published in 1938 and “Wings Over Kingsport No 2: Tennessee’s Planned City & Its Industries As Viewed From The Sky In 1938 and 1963” came out in 1963. The 1938 edition has 63 pages; the 1963 one, 98.
I have a better copy of the 1963 edition, but this is the one that Mr. Alvey gave me after I interviewed him in 1976. (Yes, I can see where I live from here)
These are great fun to look through.
Bob Lawrence's Kingsport 