According to several December 1947 editions of the Stanly News & Press, a large crowd was expected to attend the upcoming Christmas parade that was to be held on Dec. 4 in downtown Albemarle. The event was organized by a committee led by local car dealer Sanford Davis. Participants, in addition to Santa, included numerous floats from area businesses, bands and a representative of each of the high schools in the county who were competing for the title of Miss Merry Christmas. The parade route started on East Main Street at Five Points. It headed up to the Square and went left to South Second Street. It then went right on South Street, right on Depot Street and right on West Main and headed up the hill. At the Square, the parade then went left on North Second and finally finished at the park in front of the present-day YMCA. Today’s picture, of Albemarle’s West Main Street, is believed to be from the 1947 Christmas parade. According to SNAP accounts somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators were in attendance. {Lewis Bramlett – Stanly County Historical Society}