Submitted by Rebekah Sheats
A fresh coat of paint has recently added new life to the large building on North Jefferson Street that houses Steve Walker’s realty office and Vintage Treasures. This block of land has been home to prominent local businesses almost since Monticello first received its name in December of 1827.
One of the first commercial establishments to locate on this plot of land was that of Denham & Palmer, a mercantile business run by William Denham and Joseph Palmer in the mid-1800s. The original building was only a third of the size of the present structure and was built on the southern corner, where Steve Walker’s office currently stands. This business flourished for many years and was a mainstay of the Monticello community until the death of its founder William Denham in 1874.
A decade after Denham & Palmer closed its doors, the little building on the corner of Jefferson and Pearl streets still stood vacant, but by 1890 the empty structure had found a new use. A grocer occupied the ground floor, and the second story became the printing office of the Weekly Constitution, a local newspaper that was the forerunner of the Monticello News.
Near the turn of the century, the land was acquired by L. R. Rainey, who erected the spacious commercial building that still stands on the block today.
Little Rutherford (L. R.) Rainey was a well-respected member of the Monticello community. When he became the possessor of this plot of land, he built a large rectangular building divided into three sections. The first (southernmost) section housed his dry goods store. The second bay was devoted to hardware and similar merchandise, and the third portion of the building served as a “carriage repository.” A large mule barn and stables was erected behind the store on the southwest corner of the lot. The two buildings were connected by a plank walkway.
Rainey was already operating a lively business by 1903. Horses and mules were in high demand in those days, and Rainey kept a full supply of harnesses, feed, and other related items in stock. He was a shrewd businessman, however, and kept an eye on the future of transportation. By around 1915, he had expanded his commercial offerings to such an extent that automobiles were available for purchase alongside his horses and mules.
Enjoying its prime location a mere block north of the county courthouse, Rainey’s store carried a full line of clothing, hardware, and miscellaneous items ranging from baseball goods and fishing tackle to barbed wire and wood stoves. Rainey prided himself on his up-to-date inventory and would personally travel to New York (by ship) to replenish his stock of merchandise. In 1924, the store was selling men’s overalls for $1.00 apiece, and a “Sensational Shoe Sale” over the summer offered pairs of shoes for as low as fifty cents. A jingle written by women in the community advised Monticello citizens that:
Rainey will supply all you need,
Hardware and clothing and also your feed.
With the economic boom of the 1920s, one could assume that Rainey’s life would be a rosy tale of profits and prosperity. But even a small-town business is not without its woes. In June of 1928, Rainey’s store fell victim to a burglary in which thieves made off with a costly amount of merchandise. The Monticello News recorded:
“The large general store of L. R. Rainey was entered some time Sunday night, or early Monday morning, and was robbed of considerable clothing and other goods. The thief or thieves went in the back way, took what was wanted and boldly went out of the front door, leaving the door wide open. Mr. Rainey said he could hardly say just how much was missing.”
It appears that the thieves were never apprehended.
Scarcely more than a year later, Rainey became the victim of a second burglary. This time, however, the thief entered Rainey’s home instead of his store. A daring burglar crept into several Monticello homes over a two-night period in July of 1929, purloining cash, watches, and other valuables. Rainey must have been a light sleeper, for he heard the burglar enter his home and arose to investigate. The thief beat a hasty retreat, leaving before he had time to snatch anything of value. In his haste—and possible intoxication—he set down something he had been carrying when he entered the house, and Rainey discovered with surprise that the souvenir of the burglar’s visit was a bottle of wine (with most of its contents missing).
This careless thief was quickly caught, but he wasn’t the last burglar Rainey would have to deal with.
The 1930s brought with it the onset of the Depression, and crime spiraled to new heights. On March 5, 1935, another attempt was made on Rainey’s store and a few other local businesses. Thieves broke into several commercial establishments and escaped with a large amount of goods. They stole so much merchandise that the Monticello News noted, “They must have numbered more than one and must have had a truck to have been able to carry their loot away.” The article continued:
“They broke the glass in L. R. Rainey’s front door with a padded hammer, entered and made off with goods estimated by Mr. Rainey worth between $800 and $1500, including among other things, ladies’ silk underwear, shoes of various kinds, and a large amount of cured meats. The hammer used is now in the sheriff’s possession.
“The robbers made a complete getaway, leaving practically no clues but fingerprints. Local officers are working on the case and have notified officers in adjoining counties, hoping to apprehend the guilty ones.”
The ringleader of these break-ins was a man by the name of Napoleon McMillan, a south Florida convict who had escaped the previous fall. With a partner or partners he traveled the state from Miami to the Georgia line, stopping in small towns only long enough to steal massive quantities of goods before moving on to his next heist. His career continued with success for some time, but even a clever criminal will reach an end at last. Napoleon was finally apprehended in Hahira, Georgia near the end of March 1935 and was turned over to Sheriff Grant of Jefferson County. “Quite a bit of goods stolen from Monticello and Madison business houses was recovered,” the local paper noted.
History doesn’t record exactly how much of Rainey’s merchandise and cured meats were recovered from the thieves. Despite this setback, Rainey’s store continued to flourish. The broken glass of the storefront was soon repaired, and the business continued to serve the Monticello community during the Depression and for many years afterward. With each passing year it changed slightly to keep up with current trends and demands. Shoes and clothing styles were often updated, and the carriage house gradually gave way to an automobile shop offering tires, tubes, and other accessories.
In later years, the northern portion of Rainey’s building housed the Hodges Hardware store, and in the 1970s it became the home of Ace Hardware. Despite these changes of ownership, the exterior (and much of the interior) changed little with the passing years.
The building was recently purchased by Scott McPherson, who has begun to restore the old structure. A full repainting of the exterior of the building has been completed. Pressure washing and the removal of old paint has brought to light the original “L. R. Rainey” inscription that graces the top center of the storefront. Today this simple name stands as a silent witness to the long and fascinating history behind this beautiful old building.
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