Living the Dream: THE Iredell Citizen

Bob Plyler, Photographer and Journalist

By Meredith Collins

“That was the dream,” Bob Plyler said. “The newspaper.”

At 98 years old, there is still a glittering gleam in Bob’s eye when he recalls the newspaper. It was the dream.

Bob accomplished that dream in 1998 when he opened the Iredell Citizen newspaper, a weekly printed newspaper, telling the stories and news of all of Iredell County. In his introduction column in the very first issue dated April 15, 1998, Bob wrote:

“By its very nature, a paper that comes once a week is not designed to take the place of a good daily. What this paper can do is take time to smell the roses.

We’re interested in you, your neighbors, the people across town and in the county. What you do is more important than the lead story on the CBS Evening News.

So, here it is. A newspaper, like all enterprises, is hard work, but we’re going to have fun. You’re invited to come along for the ride.”

And what a fun ride it was. The Iredell Citizen quickly became a favorite of many in the community and beyond.

This is where my story and Mr. Plyler's intersect. While in college as an English major and Journalism minor, I was looking for a summer internship. I loved the hometown Iredell Citizen newspaper, so I reached out, scheduled an interview and started there as a reporter. It was a great college summer job that carried over to breaks and weekends when back in Statesville. Working alongside talented folks with Mr. Plyler's leadership, we shared the news, small things and big things, coming out of Iredell County. Looking back, it really is unique how that experience has shaped me into who I am today, still telling the stories of the people who make Iredell County a great place. Now helping to share his story…

Here at Discover Statesville, we want to honor Bob and all the work he did in Iredell County as an outstanding photographer and journalist.

Passion for Photography

While he enjoyed storytelling, Bob’s top passion and expertise for photography really inspired him to start the paper.

“I was a photographer for a zillion years,” Bob said with a smile. “The newspaper was a good outlet for my photography. The photography was right down my alley.”

Bob’s photography has been featured in many publications, including even phone book covers. (Photo to the right is of the 1969 Southern Bell telephone book featuring Bob's photo of the Ebenezer School).

He did wedding photography and portraits (probably of many of you and your family!). He has several iconic photos of the downtown clock tower and historical landmarks.

Photographer and journalist Neil Furr worked at The Iredell Citizen from 2001 until it closed in 2008. Neil remembers his time at the newspaper fondly. We took a walk down memory lane reminiscing about the past times.

The newspaper office was located in the key building during its last few years (currently Key to Escape) and Neil and I both recalled times where you had to walk up the stairs to Bob’s office to either ask him something or if you were summoned. Neil chuckles about one time he was summoned.

“I had decided to print the front page of the paper in color,” Neil chuckled. “I didn’t run that by Bob first. Things were getting tight at that point. I never did run another color front again unless he directed it. Sometimes on holidays, we would do color. He was tight but he was fair. There was no other paper I could have worked with that would have given me the freedom to do the things I could with the Iredell Citizen,” Neil said. “Every now and then I’d get in trouble for it, but he basically put it in my hands. He would give me feedback afterward.”

Neil recalls Bob’s determination to not only portray the happy parts of our history but remind us of the past we have worked to overcome. “One thing I particularly remember is that one day somebody went up the stairs with a photo, a big glossy photo of a lynching that happened in Iredell County in the 1800s. Bob considered it and wanted people to know about it. It’s a disturbing part of history. He decided to put it in the paper and all hell broke loose. Some people quit their subscriptions and fussed, but I really admired him for doing it because such things, in my opinion, should not be forgotten. Other people congratulated him for doing that too. It really showed me the type of journalist he was.”

Hands On

The best way to learn how to be a journalist is just to get out there and start doing it. Bob gave me, along with others, a chance to learn hands on. He was right there with us each week as we did our assembly line of stickers, sorting and boxes to mail out the weekly issue. “It was such a hands-on place,” Neil said. “Bob was hands on. He didn’t say much, so you knew when he said it, he meant it. He was right there with us putting it all together. That was a time we could talk and enjoy being together. We all got pretty close as the years went by.”

Born in Iredell County in 1926, Statesville has been home for Bob the majority of his life. He grew up on Race Street and then later moved to East End Avenue, where he still lives today. Bob served in Italy during World War II. He later married Louise Edwards Plyler. Louise co-owned Brookdale Florist for 35 years. Bob and Louise had three sons, Mike, Ted, and David. Bob was very involved in Boy Scouts both early in life and then with his three boys. All three sons received their Eagle Scout Award.

Bob had an interest in photography at an early age. From portraits, wedding photography, newspapers, publications and commercial photography, he captured the people and landmarks that make up Iredell County.

"He was the first photographer in NC to print color photos," Gloria Hager, family friend and owner of gg's art frames gifts, said. "He was a great photographer and teacher. Our local Ansel Adams and Yousef Karsh. He was an award-winning photographer for his commercial photography, which was really hard to do. I remember his amazing photograph of Mitchell College with the big oak tree."

Throughout all of his endeavors, Bob’s impact still stands strong. We salute you, Bob, for your steadfast commitment to the Iredell County community.

***

All 533 issues of the Iredell Citizen newspaper have been digitized, and are available online: www.digitalnc.org/newspapers/iredell-citizen-statesville-n-c

Want a blast from the past? Follow along at Discover Statesville - we will be sharing a past Iredell Citizen article each week.

Here's the full excerpt from the very first April 15, 1998 edition of Iredell Citizen:

Hello Iredell

CONGRATULATIONS IREDELL – You have just given birth to a bouncing 24-page weekly newspaper!

Cigars would be in order, but given the state of tobacco, we’ll have to settle for bubble gum. (Just kidding, all you dentists.)

Anyway, to all you people who held our hand, gave us strong shoulders to lean on, kept us on track and when we faltered, gave us a swift kick in the south end, thank you.

Now, back to the baby. You’ll notice she (we’ll call it a “she”) is, about the size of a small country ham. As parents, we think she’s easy to hold, delightful to look at and easy to read.

By its very nature, a paper that comes once a week is not designed to take the place of a good daily. What this paper can do is take time to smell the roses.

We’re interested in you, your neighbors, the people across town and in the county. What you do is more important than the lead story on the CBS Evening News.

So, here it is. A newspaper, like all enterprises, is hard work, but we’re going to have fun. You’re invited to come along for the ride. Should we forget to have fun, feel free to apply your size twelve shoe to the appropriate southern spot.