1900 to 1909
1900		Merry's Wine Shanty, 'Merrydale', was located about 2km from Ashford on the Bonsahw road. It was also the first iron roofed building in Ashford.	Merrydale
		Bukkulla village was established and property known as 'Bukkulla' was changed to 'Bukkulla Station'.
		Ashford had a number of business houses in operation, including three hotels, Merry's Wine Shop, George Moore's Blacksmith's and Undertaker's shop, Kimmorley's store opposite the Sport Ground, Post Office and Dunman's Saddlery.
		Wells' Crossing named after an incident when a carrier named Wells was hauling 37 bales of wool from an outlying property to Ashford. The wagon brakes failed when crossing the Severn River and the whole load was tipped into the river.	Mr Jack Wells transporting chaff in the Ashford area for drought relief
		Race courses had been established in succession on Frazer's Creek, where Sinclair Street now is, then at 'Cawdor' where the aerodrome is, then at the site of the present Golf Course, then just across the Frazer's Creek bridge and finally at a site just across the Severn River bridge.
		W. H. Howard builds the first Public Hall.
	Feb 20	The erection of a new school building was completed on a block adjacent to the existing building.
	May 21	The Money Order system was reintroduced.
1901		Mr R. A. Peberdy takes up duties as teacher.
1902		A year remembered as the worst drought on record. Frasers Creek Station lost 20,000 sheep out 28,000. A mid 1902 report said so many dead stock were in the creek that people had difficulty getting any water.
	Feb	A school bell was erected after the teacher, Mr Peberdy wrote saying that 'most of the parents live within hearing of a bell and that one would tend to improve the punctuality of the pupils by enabling the parents to keep informed time'.
1903		A town well is sunk in the park.
		Post office was moved into a new building.
		Lodge meetings were being held.
		The State Member of Parliament, G. A. Jones, whose father had once been schoolmaster at Ashford (see 1871), brought a government expert to Ashford to advise and educate farmers on the growing of tobacco.
1904		New court house is built.
		The old Union Church is sold.
		Seven farms were growing tobacco with seed provided by the government. They received 8 to 10 pence per pound from travelling buyers. This encouraged other farmers to grow tobacco.
	Aug	A telephone line was installed at the post office, making it possible to send and receive telegrams.
1905		Ronald Johnston who had already built the Commercial Hotel, builds a larger public hall.
		New church opened.
		Flue-curing of tobacco was introduced.
		Local tobacco grower Hammond Watts produced the first flue-cured tobacco in the area. This leaf took first prize at an exhibition in Mexico in 1905.	Picture taken in 1903 by Mr Len Merry showing air curing of tobacco
	Jun	Miss Mary Egan takes up a position as assistant teacher.
1906		Ashford Shire Council was formed under the Local Government Act. B. C. Besley (Jnr) appointed as Shire President. Councillors were G. W. Dight, H. A. Fraser, J. Y. Black and R. J. Higgins.
1907		Sheep have now taken over from cattle as the main farming income, with 185,000 head compared to 10,000 to 25,000 head of cattle in the district. Some of these were dairy cattle and their cream was sent to Inverell.
		B. C. Besley re-elected president of Ashford Shire Council.
		After much Lobbying by George Arthur, 1100ha was set aside on the Severn River at Pindari for the Noocoorilma Aboriginal people. The place was named Sevington.
	Jun 1	The status of the post office was raised to that of semi-official post office and delivery of telegrams within one mile was commenced. Mail arrival times included 3am, 5:30am, 9:30pm, 10:30pm and midnight.
	Oct 15	A public telephone was installed at the post office.
1908		R. J. Higgins elected as Shire President.	The main street of Ashford 1908. First on the left is a blacksmith's shop, then the Commercial Hotel.
		Ashford Presbyterian Parish became a separate parish.
		Frazer's Creek Bridge was Officially opened by Mrs Higgins, wife of the then Ashford Shire President.	Official opening of Frazer's Creek Bridge in 1908.
1909		School of the Arts established in the school reserve.