Shelby Once Had a Tobacco Boom That Almost Rivaled Cotton

In the early 1880s, Shelby briefly became a tobacco center before cotton took over. According to a pamphlet published in 1884, about 25 acres of tobacco were planted in Cleveland County in 1883, but by 1884 that number had jumped to around 500 acres, producing an estimated 100,000 pounds of leaf tobacco. Shelby had at least four tobacco factories at the time, including one operated by D. D. Suttle, the county sheriff, who even brought in an experienced tobacco man from Virginia to manage production. At its peak, some of the finest leaf tobacco reportedly sold for as much as $1.50 a pound, though the average price was closer to 14 cents. Eventually, heavy taxes and easier cotton farming caused the tobacco industry to fade.
Source: Mamie Jones