- Location – 142A W Murphy St, Madison, NC 27025-1924
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
- No real frills here—this is the classic “hole in the wall”, and I mean that in a very positive way.
- Everything about this little place is good. Folks are friendly and always smiling. Try Johnson burger, hot dogs, fish sandwich or BBQ.
.
Support your local business.
Our website does not receive compensation for placing this post about Johnson Family Grill.
.
.
.
.
Click Here To Access FB Page Of Southern Spirits
Support your local business.
Our website does not receive compensation for placing this post about Southern Spirits.
.
.
Bob’s Restaurant
124 S Market St, Madison, NC 27025
Home cooking. Great hotdogs and hambugers. Old fashion grille. Great service.
Come dine with us at Bob’s Restaurant for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. We are known for our country style breakfast, real home cooked meals and homemade desserts. Once you walk in the door, it’s like stepping back in time to an old time diner atmosphere, decorated with walls full of antiques and memorabilia. Please feel free to sit in our rocking chairs in front of our restaurant to relax while you smell the aroma of our fresh cooked meals. You can dine in or take out.
.
.
This is a direct link to Bob’s Restaurant
Support your local business.
Our website does not receive compensation for placing this post about Bob’s Restaurant.
.
.
.
Madison, North Carolina, is a small town located in Rockingham County. Its history dates back to the early 19th century when European settlers began to establish communities in the area.
The town was initially known as Martin’s Rock, named after a large rock formation on the property of Joseph Martin, one of the early settlers. In 1848, the community was officially named Madison in honor of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.
Madison grew as a result of its strategic location along the Dan River, which provided important transportation and trade routes for the region. The construction of railroads in the late 19th century further facilitated economic growth, attracting businesses and industries to the area.
A key industry that emerged in Madison was tobacco farming and manufacturing. The town became known for its tobacco warehouses and processing facilities, which contributed to the local economy and provided employment opportunities for residents.
In the early 20th century, Madison experienced a boom in population and infrastructure development. The town introduced modern amenities such as paved roads, electricity, and improved public services. Along with tobacco, agriculture, including dairy farming and crop cultivation, played a significant role in the local economy.
Madison also developed a vibrant downtown area with various shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The community centered around the historic Rockingham County Courthouse, which remains a prominent landmark in the town today.
Over the years, Madison has faced both triumphs and challenges. Economic shifts and changes in the tobacco industry have affected the town’s prosperity. However, the community has persevered by diversifying its economy and attracting new businesses and industries.
In recent years, Madison has sought to preserve its heritage and promote tourism. Efforts have been made to restore and maintain historic buildings, and events such as the Madison Mayodan Recreation Department’s “Mayodan Cruise-In” and the “Madison Heritage Festival” celebrate the town’s history and culture.
Today, Madison continues to be a close-knit community with a population that values its small-town charm and rural beauty. With its rich history and connection to the surrounding natural landscape, the town remains an important part of Rockingham County’s cultural fabric.
Madison, North Carolina, was originally settled in the early 1800s by European settlers who were drawn to the area by its fertile land and abundant natural resources. The town was named after President James Madison and was officially incorporated in 1873.
Madison played an important role in the development of the tobacco industry in North Carolina, with many tobacco warehouses and factories operating in the area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The town also became a major hub for the production and distribution of flue-cured tobacco.
In the mid-20th century, Madison experienced a period of economic growth and prosperity, with the establishment of new industries and businesses in the area. The town’s population grew steadily, and its downtown district became a vibrant center of commerce and culture.
However, like many small towns in the United States, Madison faced economic challenges in the latter part of the 20th century as industries began to decline and jobs moved overseas. The town has since worked to revitalize its economy and attract new businesses and residents.
Today, Madison remains a charming small town with a rich history and a strong sense of community. The town is home to a number of historical sites and landmarks, including the Madison Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Madison continues to celebrate its heritage and culture through events and festivals that showcase the town’s unique history and character.
This picture was taken by me, standing in the street on a Thursday afternoon.The town of Madison is one of the oldest towns in the North Carolina Piedmont, being chartered in 1818. The town is located at the junction of the Dan River and the Mayo River.
Madison, in the early days, was a river town. Barges traveled the Dan River with Madison being the inland terminus. Freight was carried up and down the Dan River on barges as the only other way of moving anything was by horse and wagon. Roads were not conducive to efficient wagon traffic.. The town was also known as “Hog Town” because the farmers from miles around would bring their hogs to market in Madison NC and then move them to other destinations down the Dan River.
Traffic across the river was by Ferry. Bridges began to appear in the early 1800’s but the area where the Dan and Mayo join is prone to flooding…..even today.
About 1888 the railroad began passenger service in and out of Madison. The rail roads replaced the barge traffic on the Dan River. Rail roads could move faster and to more diverse locations than river barges. Rail roads were more flexible.
Actually, as kid, I had the experience of boarding a train at the Madison (1945) depot for a trip all of the way to California. This was the time of the steam engine….Smoke and soot…steam whistles and such……Oh there is something about the good old days….
Amazing that we were so advanced
Madison no longer has passenger train service or barges on the river. The world changes and not always for the good. I suggest a trip to the North Carolina Museum of Transportation located in Salisbury.
.jpg)
Madison was a thriving tobacco town from mid 1850’s with several plug tobacco factories. John M. Galloway, a local planter, was reported to be the largest grower of tobacco in the world. Madison remained largely a tobacco town until after World War II when it emerged as a textile town. During the 1940’s and 1950’s workers would be bused in from eastern Stokes to work in Madison’s textile mills. The textile industry has evolved but is still the largest employer.
.jpg)
.jpg)
A few of the older homes in Madison have been preserved.
Unfortunately the population of Madison, NC has been decreasing for years. In the late 1950’s, the population was approximately 4400 people and today, 2020, the population has shrunk to approximately 2100 folks while at the same time the area of the town is almost 3 times what it was when the population was over 4000. For what was once a prosperous and growing town…things are not looking good. This is unfortunate because the area still has a work force that is willing to work.
Madison’s largest manufacturer and Rockingham County’s largest manufacturing employer is Unifi. The company’s Madison plant was established in 1970 by two local businessmen as Macfield Texturing Company. Unifi purchased that company in 1991 and currently has about 500 employees in Madison and 225 at a second plant in Reidsville.
The nation’s largest supplier of brick pavers, Pine Hall Brick, operates two manufacturing facilities in Madison. The company has been a leading manufacturer of face-brick, pavers and specially shaped brick since 1922. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC, Pine Hall Brick maintains about 160 employees in Madison.
Remington Arms Company, LLC moved its corporate headquarters to the Madison area in 1996. America’s oldest gun maker, Remington designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as military, government and law enforcement markets. While Remington does not manufacture any products in Madison, its corporate office provides about 150 jobs in the community making it a major employer.
Located in downtown Madison, Gem-Dandy is a wholesale distributor of belts and accessories servicing retailers across the globe. Gem-Dandy employs more than 40 people in Madison.
Legal distilleries have found a home for manufacturing their spirits in Madison. When it opened in Madison in 2005, Piedmont Distillers Inc. became NC’s first legal distillery since prohibition. The company currently has about 20 employees in Madison.
Also in Madison, Italian-themed GIA Distillery produces its handcrafted solera style American whiskey and grappa in the old train depot (circa 1895) that houses its distillery and tasting room.
.
Dan River Basin Association
Western Rockingham Chamber of Commerce
.
.