By the late 1800s, the L&N Railroad had become one of the major economic engines in the area. Not only did industry thrive on the ability of railroads to convey goods, but the railroads also provided rapid movement of travelers as well as news along its steel rails which cut through the rapidly disappearing virgin pine forests of the area.
Salesmen, coming from Pensacola, often took the rails to Flomaton and other locations where they would depart and go door to door plying their trade which sometimes would be elaborate goods and other times would be as simple as sharpening scissors and other...