People's Supply Company

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
Location21950 Broad Street,
Silverhill, Baldwin County, Alabama, U.S.
Coordinates30°32′41″N 87°45′03″W / 30.54472°N 87.75083°W / 30.54472; -87.75083 (People's Supply Company)
Built1902
ArchitectTheodore A. Johnson
Architectural styleGablefront
NRHP reference No.97000096[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPFebruary 21, 1997
Designated ARLHMarch 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

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The 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

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References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Silverhill adds historic walking tour, 'Memory Lane' to annual Heritage Day fest". Al.com. 2011-09-16. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ "People's Supply Company". NPGallery, Digital Asset Management System.
  5. ^ "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.