An article
in the June 11, 1920 Brevard News announced, “The Brevard Taxi Line which is a
motor transportation service for carrying anyone anywhere they want to go at
any time, has placed its office on Main St. in close proximity to the Court
House Square.”  Peter Verdery was the
manager.

About the
same time Jim Bromfield operated a taxi stand with five Fords on Whitmire
Street near the depot.  A.H. King later bought
Bromfield’s business and moved it to W. Main St.

Siniard’s Taxi Stand on E. Main St. beside the current Humane Society Thrift Shop, August 1955. From left:  Eck Simms, Luther Woods, Hale Siniard, unknown

Hale Siniard
started his taxi service in a Model-T in 1921. 
In a 1948 interview Siniard stated that in the early days a trip to
Caesar’s Head took the entire day.  Going
to Asheville or Hendersonville and back was a two-day venture.  Siniard averaged about 300 miles a week in
the 1920s, by 1948 it was over 1000 miles per week.  He drove folks anywhere they needed or wanted
to go, including three trips to California. 
He would regularly take Dr. Lyday “for a ride” that would last a few
days.  During the 43 years Siniard operated
Star Taxi he mainly drove Packards.  After
Siniard retired Star Taxi continued under different ownership until 1975.

Corn’s Taxi operated from the Times Arcade alley on W. Main St.

Mack Corn
began his taxi company in the early 1940s. 
At a time when gas was rationed taxis were the main way to get around
town.  The cars did not have radios so
drivers would return to the taxi stand after dropping someone off to get
information for their next fare.  A
typical trip cost less than a dollar. 
Corn, who mainly drove Pontiacs, had a fleet as large as six vehicles at
one point.  Corn’s Taxi operated until
1963.

Edward
Killian was the first African-American to operate a taxi company in
Brevard.  Killian’s Cabs was in business
throughout the 1950s.

During the
mid-1900s there were a number of other taxi cab companies that operated in Transylvania
County.  Safety Cab was located on W.
Jordan St. from 1942 until 1978.  City
Cabs and Brevard Cab Service were long-time businesses.  Others that ran for briefer periods were
Bailey’s Taxi, Martin Taxi, Parton Taxi, Red Bird Taxi, Thomas Cabs, and
Veterans’ Cab.  In addition to short
trips around town and longer trips out-of-town many offered sightseeing tours.

Photographs
and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina
Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit
the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about
our history and see additional photographs. 
For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at [email protected] or 828-884-1820.