People's Supply Company is a historic general store and building in Silverhill, Alabama, U.S.[2] It is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Alabama State Route 104 and Broad Street (also known Baldwin County Road 55).[3] The People's Supply Company was the only source of supply for dry goods and agricultural needs in the community starting in the early 20th-century.[3]
People's Supply Company | |
 | |
| Location | 21950 Broad Street, Silverhill, Baldwin County, Alabama, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°32′41″N 87°45′03″W / 30.54472°N 87.75083°W |
| Built | 1902 |
| Architect | Theodore A. Johnson |
| Architectural style | Gablefront |
| NRHP reference No. | 97000096[1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 21, 1997 |
| Designated ARLH | March 13, 1996 |
The building is no longer open to the public.[2] It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places since February 21, 1997, for its architecture and history of local commerce;[3][4] and is listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage since March 13, 1996.[5]
History
editThe People's Supply Company of Silverhill opened in June 1902, and was built and operated by Theodore A. Johnson.[3] Johnson had been a grocery in Paxton, Illinois, before moving to Alabama.[3] He was of no relations to Oscar Johnson, a city founder. The land was purchased by Theodore Johnson in September 1901 from Hanna and Carl Carlson of Chicago.[3] The Carlsons had bought the land from the Svea Land Company a few years prior.[3] Johnson would own and operate the store from 1902 to 1928, and he lived upstairs on the second floor.[3]
In 1928 the store was run by Greek immigrant George Marines, who had also been drawn to the area.[3] In 1947 he would purchase the building. It was then managed for him by Leslie Chandler and his wife, who raised their two children upstairs.[3] The Chandlers would run the store until 1972.[3]
Starting in the 1980s, the business struggled, in part due to large stores opening nearby.[3] The building had many owners between 1972 until 1993, and it stood vacant for several years before its purchase by Joe Spalding and his wife in 1993.[3] They did a major restoration effort, and reopened the building to the public as an antique and reproduction furniture shop in September 1995.[3]
See also
editReferences
edit
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ a b "Silverhill adds historic walking tour, 'Memory Lane' to annual Heritage Day fest". Al.com. 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: People's Supply Company". National Park Service. Retrieved October 3, 2023. With accompanying pictures
- ^ "People's Supply Company". NPGallery, Digital Asset Management System.
- ^ "The Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage" (PDF). preserveala.org. Alabama Historical Commission. August 20, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2018.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Park Service.