Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities Salisbury, North
Carolina Founded in 1755, Salisbury was named the seat of newly
formed Rowan County. By the late 19th century, Salisbury had
become a railroad hub, with trains passing through town heading
to points north, south, east, and west. In the 20th century,
Salisbury developed an industrial economy, based largely on
textiles. By 1950, there were over 100 manufacturing plants in
the Salisbury area. In recent decades, much of this
manufacturing base has left Salisbury. As in many other Southern
towns, Jews established a small but strong community that has
tracked the fortunes of Salisbury itself. The Wallace
BuildingThe first recorded Jews to settle in Salisbury was
Victor Wallace and his family. Wallace came to South Carolina
from Hesse-Darmstadt in Germany just before the Civil War. After
fighting for the Confederacy, Wallace worked for his brothers
David and Isaac, who owned an herb business in Statesville,
North Carolina. By 1870, Victor had moved to Sali