Shelbyville in the 1940s

Bryant Street School housed Shelbyville's junior high school in the 1940s. Built in 1925 and serving as the first Central High School until the winter of 1939, it was located in what is now the school administration building's parking lot.

Central High School on Elm Street, a few years after construction was finished in 1939.

The Coca-Cola plant on Elm Street. Note the old-style street lamp and yellow stop sign at left. Yellow stop signs were common in Shelbyville in earlier years.

Bedford County Courthouse, as shot from the southwest corner of the Shelbyville square.

East Side School on Elliott Street, the same location of today's school. A fire escape is connected to the far right of the building.

The Fly Manufacturing Co. building on South Main Street now houses The Fly Arts Center. The long-gone wooden building at right housed the law office of R.B. Jackson.

Madison Street School is now the home of the Bedford County Department of Education's administrative offices.

The Shelbyville post office in the 1940s, now home of Argie Cooper Public Library.

This colorful sign marks a former Shelbyville business.

The U.S. Rubber Co. plant at Shelbyville Mills, a self-contained "village" just west of Shelbyville.

Shelbyville Pure Milk Co., on North Main Street, later became the home of Locke's Dairy Bar, for many years United Cities Gas Co., and finally Living Stones Community Church before being demolished to make way for today's North Main Professional Building.

The Shelbyville Gazette was on Holland Street in a building now painted white and housing an auction firm. The Bedford County Times and Shelbyville Gazette merged Feb. 1, 1948.