A Growing County

1940

The census that year stated that there were 768 people living in Trenton and 174 in Bell, with a countywide count of 4235 residents.

In January the Rural Electrification Administration in Washington DC gave $96,000 to run electric lines from Otter Creek in Levy County to Bell in Gilchrist County. A total of 116 miles of lines to serve 345 co-op members of Gilchrist and Levy Counties.

1967

Vickers & Sons Economat Food Store in Trenton was selling ripe bananas for 9 cents a pound, Dixie Lily grits was 49 cents for 5 pounds, Pure lard was 47 cents for 1/2 gallon, and Aunt Martha bread sold at 4 loaves for 89 cents.

Governor Claude Kirk visited Castleton Farms a Standard Bred horse farm owned by Mr. Frederick Van Lennep. At that time Carter Duer was the manager of the 960 acre horse farm.

2000

Bell High School Reunion Committee held a super class reunion at the old brick school building in Bell. Some 400 former graduates had made reservations and 700 were expected to attend the July 1, reunion.

Jean and Jerry Ridgeway were remodeling the Old Boarding House in Trenton to open it as a restaurant. Many will remember the good Southern cooking served by the Ridgeways for several years. The Boarding House building was built by the Brooker family in 1920’s. Mr. Brooker owned a Model T dealership in Trenton. Later Mrs. Nona Douglas owned and operated The Boarding House and served family style meals. Local folks would gather on the porch waiting for Mrs. Douglas to come out and ring the dinner bell. Then the diners would fill the one long table to enjoy a good meal with five meats and lots of vegetables. Douglas was an excellent cook and the noon meal was only 35 cents a plate. Her specialty was Chicken and Dumplings according to those who remembered dining with her.