Cotton was one of the largest agricultural exports from Hartselle during its early years, when there were four cotton gins operating at any given time. The Stewart Scales House weighed wagons for the Stewart Cotton Gin, which can be seen in the background of the image below.
After the gin was torn down, John O’Bar (pictured with a walking stick below, along with P. Raymond and Isaac Eddy) sold candy, cigars, soft drinks and cigarettes out of the shed. Mr. O'Bar also sharpened saws and knives for customers, and the bench in front of the scales shed was used by regular patrons for wood whittling and story telling.
The shed remained on Main Street south of Sycamore Street until July 23, 1967, when it was torn down to make way for the Western Auto building. This building was later purchased by Life Church and remodeled to serve as a sanctuary.
The second largest city in Morgan County, Hartselle was founded in 1870 along what was then known as the South and North Alabama Railroad. Named for one of the area’s early settlers, George Hartselle, the city was incorporated on March 1, 1875.