Morrison/Sims Store built 1900.
Gas pump front and post office added 1920's.
Other restored or historic locations around Harrisburg may be viewed at "HISTORIC-HARRISBURG.COM".
Last updated 10/24/2013 Thursday |
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"Outside" Picture taken 3-15-05. Council man Bill Williams and mover. This is probably the first picture taken of the restoration project. Hurricane Hugo blew the tin off the back of the store and was replaced with new tin. |
914 Picture taken 5-6-05 |
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915 Picture taken 5-6-05 The above pictured front overhang is the third front section for the store. The first was simply a 4 post porch with a hip roof. It looked like the Sloop Store w/o the gable style roof as pictured in the store. The second was the typical gas pump front with two brick columns. In backing a tractor out Joe hit the South column and the overhead fell and seriously injured him. It would have been fatal if some men had not stopped and lifted the front off of him. AAron Ritchie built the last shelter pictured above in the early 1980's as a replacement. |
950 Picture taken 5-6-05 The store shed posts were only 6-1/2 feet off the road white line. This was much too close to the road to restore at its old location so the store was moved app. 200 feet off the road to its present position. |
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| 885 Picture taken 3-15-05 North West corner of the store showing the rear building. | 887 Picture taken 3-15-05 South West corner of the store showing the rear building. The original stove was under this pile of rubble and shows in a later picture #900 dated 3/15/05 about 33 pictures below here. |
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| 898 Picture taken 3-15-05 North East corner of store showing the post office entrance behind the tin. | 899 Picture taken 3-15-05 The window shown above contained a painted window till the mid '80s when a rock was thrown thru it. The window was duplicated by Lisa Stafford during the restoration. Lisa's grand daddy, Caldwell Stafford, is the one that donated the original store safe back to the store and after some repair is now in use in the store. The safe came to Harrisburg in 1893 at another store located on RailRoad Ave owned by Harris/Morrison and when they split up Mr. Morrison built the store that was restored and placed the safe in it. |
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| 917 Picture taken 5-6-05 Store foundation. | 918 Picture taken 5-6-05 Store foundation. |
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| 926 Picture taken 3-15-05 This picture shows the new tin that replaced the tin hurricane Hugo blew off. The water damage from Hugo is why the ceiling and walls boards had to be replaced. | 931 Picture taken 3-15-05 The front steps. They were not saved. |
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| 934 Picture taken 3-15-05 There were numerous locks on the store front door. The main one was saved and reused in their original location. | 938 Picture taken 3-15-05. We do not know the purpose of the boarded up opening on this wall. |
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| 947 Picture taken 3-15-05 This is a hole/door installed when Claig McCachren stopped meeting the 4:30AM train to get the mail. The train then stopped with the postal car at the crossing and the railroad postman had to walk to the store, put the mail bag thru this opening, walk back to the train and then the train would continue on down the tracks. | 948 Picture taken 3-15-05. All the door hardware was reused on the restored store. |
Move
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| 919 Picture 5-6-05 Area around store has been cleaned up for the relocation. | 1128 picture 6-27-05 Roof and steps have been removed for the relocation. | ||||||||||
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| 1129 6-27-05 Remains of post office customer entrance. The structure had been added over 20 years after the store was built and probably erected in a rush after receiving the post office contract. It was not as well constructed as the store, and was sitting closer to the ground allowing termites to damage it. | 1132 6-27-05 Post office box location. They were sold in 1958. Three of the boxes were returned for the restoration. | ||||||||||
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| 1134 6-27-05 Front of store. There was evidence of several old break-in attempts showing as scars on the door. | 1301 7-27-05 Track from the first move off road halfway to the current position.. | ||||||||||
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| 1302 7-27-05 Store not quite there yet. Still on moving steel and waiting for the footing to be completed. | 1303 7-27-05 Store footing. | ||||||||||
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Contract work
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| 1483 Picture 9-30-05. Contractor work. Front porch and handicap ramp. Joe kept asking me if we were going to put the original front porch back on and I said yes- only after several yeses did I realize we were talking about two different porches and then it was too late. I was thinking gas pump design and Joe was talking like on the Sloop Store except the Sims Store front porch was hip construction. When I rushed to the store to change porch design the contractor told me the trusses were to be delivered that day so it was too late. | 1484 Picture 9-30-05. Contractor work. Handicap ramp and postal customer entrance.. |
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| 1640 Picture 10-13-05. Contractor work. Front porch and handicap ramp. | 1639 Picture 10-13-05. Building permit. |
Restoration
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| 2111 Picture 2-24-06. | 2114 Picture 2-24-06. |
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| 2480 Picture 5-14-06. This is the bottom of the cash register drawer. A combination could be set in the top of the drawer and if the correct levers shown were not pulled while opening the drawer, interior drawer bell would ring thus notifying the store operator that the drawer had been opened. Come by store for demo. | 1763 Picture 11-22-05. Temporary bar on the 4 foot wide back door added for the restoration. The door was refinished and reused in the original location. |
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| 1747 Picture 11-13-05. First ceiling board installation for any of the workers. | 1650 Picture 10-13-05. Battery powered burglar alarm on top of rear door. Every door and window had this system on it. Ask for demonstration next time you are at the store. |
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| 2009 Picture 1-14-06. The rear door after Boone Linker did his magic. Repaired section near the bottom is from an old break in. There was no items stolen from the restoration side during all of the restoration. | |
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| 876 Picture 11-5-05. The South counter. This was the hardest counter to clean eating many a 4" sanding belt. Oil had been stored on the counter and the top was thoroughly saturated. Both cabinets were rolled out of the store to wire brush, sand, and paint. | 1504 Picture 9-30-05. The North counter had been cut in two sections to allow for the post office wall installation. The counter section that remained in the post office room was not reused. |
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| 1516 Picture 9-30-05. Some of the stuff on the counters. Joe identified all the items for us. The large 6x6 post was used to hold the elevated chimney up. The chimney fell during the move destroying a large part on the ceiling that we planed to save. | 1517 Picture 9-30-05. The above wall was added after the store was converted to a farm work area after the store closed in 1958. The wall cut down on the heated area. The counters and shelves still have notches to accommodate the wall. |
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| 2187 Picture 3-17-06. Bob wire brushing the shelves. The shelf cleaning was the hardest and dirtiest job of the restoration. | 2188 Picture 3-17-06. Robert wire brushing shelves. We wore out 2 drills but the Dewalt drill survived with no apparent wear. |
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| 2189 Picture 3-17-06. Betsy wire brushing counter. To the left is the portable light on a tripod we borrowed from the town. | 2192 Picture 3-17-06. Dirt from shelf cleaning. |
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| 2440 Picture 5-6-06. Restored floor, shelves, and New ceiling, walls boards, and lights. | 1661 10-19-05 Ceiling just inside the front door. The picture shows the ceiling damage from the elevated chimney falling during the move. The contractor had been instructed to remove the chimney before the move but he forgot. |
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| 1501 Picture 9-30-05. Why the ceiling had to be replaced. Hugo blew the roof off and the ceiling got wet from the rain. Shown above is an old drop light. | 1502 Picture 9-30-05. Water damage from Hugo. Why the ceiling had to be replaced. |
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| 1821 Picture 12-1-05. Boxing in the fan opening. | 1844 Picture 12-7-05. Picture shows new ceiling installation but also shows roof slats that are still spaced for cedar shingle roof that was on the store. |
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| 2196 Picture 3-23-06. Under side cleaning of the South counter. | 2346 Picture 4-15-06. South counter being restored by Betsy Coulon. |
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| 2339 Picture 4-15-06. The north counter rolled out the front door to allow sanding and painting. There were no chemical strippers used on this project. All paint removal and wood cleaning was done by wire brush or sanding. | 1690 Picture 10-30-05. This is the as found picture of the postal window. It was restored By Boone Linker. |
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| 1960 Picture 12-27-05. These are 3 of the original boxes installed in the early 1920's. On 10-14-05 Joe told me Vic Harris called sometime in 1958 and wanted Joe to open the store so Vic could sell the boxes to Chenault and Lib Spence. On 10-15-05 I called a neighbor of Chenaults, Mrs John Pharr, and she gave me the # to contact Chenault's daughter Margaret Ann. Margaret still had some boxes and after discussing with her brother they decided to give the store 3 of the original 1920 boxes. These boxes are greatly appreciated. | 1967 Picture 12-27-05. This is 1 of 3 boxes that are installed in the store in the bottom left corner of the post office box section. It would be interesting to know what Harrisburg resident had box # 2. |
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| 2528 Picture 5-24-06. New P.O.B. holders made by Boone Linker. There was just a hole here covered with plywood when the restoration started as the P.O. Boxes' had been sold in 1958. Boone also restored the postal window shown in the lower right. | 2570 Picture 6-2-06. Betsy watching Bob install the post office boxes. Boone ordered the post office boxes from the internet. |
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| 2370 Picture 4-18-06. Boone Linker showing the shelf end he made. A rat hole was added for the kids. | 2372 Picture 4-18-06. Boone Linker's rat hole. The children visiting the store are very interested in the store rat. When we shortened the shelves for the additional window there actually was a rat hole there but being unable to take the restoration racket he left. |
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| 2685 Picture 6-22-06 The safe being moved. It had been at the house of Caldwell Stafford's since app.1957. | 2695 Picture 6-22-06 Safe being retrieved from Caldwell Stafford's house. The safe history is shown on top of the safe now located in the restored store. The safe is now an operational safe. |
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| 2535 Picture 5-24-06. Dick Lewis building the stairs and guard rails for the back. Still to the left is the platform built to roll the South cabinet out of the building for sanding and painting. | 1824 Picture 12-3-05. Boone Linker installing the attic stairs. The original store had no access from the main building but instead was entered by the adjoining building in back that was torn down. |
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| 900 Original stove. Picture 3-15-05. This is the only picture of the original stove. The stove was destroyed when the rear building was torn down to clean up around the store for the relocation. | 1823 Picture 12-3-05. Fatso kitchen stove. Larry and Carolyn Pigg loaned this stove to the restoration to prevent the volunteers from freezing. There were many hot chocolates and coffees made on it as well as heating foods. This is where most of our scrap wood ended up. |
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| 1986 Picture 1-4-06. Blocking stove up to install sand pit underneath. | 1988 Picture 1-4-06. Robert Baker surveying stove installation. The stove was purchased from a company in Rhode Island. |
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| 2002 Picture 1-4-06. Heat reclaiming system for stove. Exhaust would circle the stove top before exiting to the chimney. This also made the stove top a more even temperature across its surface. Ask to see when you are in store. | 2548 Picture 5-29-06. Coal stove ready to box in the Sand pit underneath. View shows new lights, Bob's boxes, and boards stacked against post office wall. The light colored floor is new ( 1942 wood removed from a Cannon Mill house) flooring used to replace the rotten floor from the ice box. Meat from a local farmer and ice from Charlotte were ordered by the store owner during the first part of the week. Both were delivered on Friday morning and the meat had to be sold by closing Saturday night or else the meat would spoil. |
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| 4742 Picture 12-31-07. Chute to put coal in stove. The coal is purchased from Herring Coal in Charlotte. | 1998 Tool wagon. Picture 1-4-06. This restoration and the crib only used 1 tool trailer requiring much labor swapping out tools for the days work. In the log cabin restoration two and sometimes three trailers are used. |
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| 2712 Picture 6-30-06 Betsy painting front door screen doors. The Merita screens to go on the doors were ordered from a local screen printer. | 1671 Picture 10-19-05 Stan removing old window, bars, and wire mesh guards from West window. |
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| 1731 Picture 11-9-05. Painting the building. Some areas required 3 coats of hand brushed paint. | 1722 Picture 11-6-05 Plastic used to keep white paint off porch. |
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| 1729 Picture 11-9-05 | 877 Picture 11-4-05 Stan painting. |
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| 524 Picture 6-3-06. J. S. Taylor, Town of Harrisburg Historian, hanging some of her pictures. | 1449 Picture 9-22-05 Inside the contractor built post office addition. |
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| 2131 Picture 3-1-06. Bob showing off his window work. The window to his right was cut in the wall so the store operator/postmaster could watch the store from the post office. This did not work so the large opening to Bobs right was cut and covered with wire. This hole would later hold the P.O. boxes Bob and Jo Anne Johnson donated. | 2435 Picture 5-6-06. New lights. Almost identical to original. The only original fixture disappeared after the building was moved. I have a picture of the original fixture. |
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| 2413 Picture 5-4-06. The post office boxes Bob And Jo Anne Johnson donated to the store. These are oak and are consecutively numbered. Some of the boxes still have the names on them. | 2418 Picture 5-4-06. The post office boxes Bob And Jo Anne Johnson donated to the store. Picture taken in the warehouse where they had been stored. |
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| 2444 Picture 5-10-06. Bob delivering the donated boxes to the store. | 2446 Picture 11-5-06. Bob's boxes in place. When the hole in the wall below the boxes was originally cut, it was to provide better viewing of the store when the operator was in the post office section. The cutout went from the floor to the ceiling. |
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688-s-375, 6-15-2011 Wed , Bob holding plaque, from the Town of Harrisburg, for him and JoAnne donating this fine set of post office boxes. |
692-s-375, 6-15-2011, |
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| 2319 4-11-06 Porch lights and South stair light Hung. | 2324 4-11-06 West stair light hung. |
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| 517 6-3-06 Boone sawing, Dick toting wood. | 519 6-3-06 Boone talking to Bob. |
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| 2281 11-23-06 | 2438-375-v ..Fire uniform from Ted McCachren. This was the Harrisburg Fire Dept's first fire uniform. It was made from cotton and as all the rest of the old uniforms that I know of was used as work overhauls after leaving the fire dept. This uniform has paint around the knees showing its later use . |
Grand opening 6-5-2006
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560 6-5-2006 Volunteers all over the place. |
562 6-5-06 Ribbon cutting. Councilman Bill Williams, left,and Mayor Tim Hagler, center. |
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| 565 6-5-06 Left is Ira Taylor- the only mail carrier most of the elder residents had known. Center is Dick Lewis- volunteer restorer for the store. Right Ida McCachren Barrier- As a little girl her mother would give her 3 eggs every Friday to take to this store and she would trade them for 5 cents worth of candy. On Saturdays Ida would spend most of the day in the Gray Store on Railroad Avenue talking to the Greys and there customers. There is a picture of the inside of the Grey Store in the restored store. | 570 6-5-06 The grand opening band, DeJa Vu. L to R Rick Higgins, Lee Taylor, LLoyd Quay, Franklin Howie, Ted McCachren, Malory Tenland, Steve Howie. |
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571 6-5-06 L to R. Ira Lee Taylor, Mail Carrier, Lisa Stafford- Painted the store windows and whose granddaddy Caldwell Stafford donated the original safe back to the store, Ida McCachren Barrier, who as a child swapped 3 eggs for 5 cents worth of candy every Friday. |
582 6-5-06 Jenny Martin Tomlin. Sells paintings in the store, Painted the Muriel in the Harrisburg Town Hall, drew a picture of the cabin to sell with half the proceeds to be used to restore the cabin. The cabin picture is on display in the store. |
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| 533 6-5-06 Jenny Sue Taylor, town historian who placed many of the store pictures and did the taped interviews of 12 of the older Harrisburg residents. John A. Sims, John A is Joe's son. | 2591 6-5-06 Grand opening showing Steve Martin, wood carver, and crowd. There were several restored cars on display also. |
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| 2594 6-5-06 Caldwell and Cathrine Stafford. They donated the original store safe back to the store at the start of the restoration. The history of the safe is located on top of the safe in the store. | 2578 6-5-06 Finished store ready for the grand opening. |
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2581 6-5-06 Finished store ready for the grand opening. |
2437-375 Old operating phone donated by Ricky Higgins from his daddy's mountain cabin. |
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| 2576 6-5-06 The above volunteers are what made the restoration possible. L to R, Boone Linker, Robert Baker, Stan Rieber, Betsy Coulon, Dick Lewis, Bill Williams, Bob Johnson. | 2577 6-5-06 Volunteers Boone Linker, Stan Rieber, Ted McCachren-supervisor, Dick Lewis, Robert Baker, Betsy Coulon, Bill Williams, Bob Johnson. Thanks to all the volunteers for all the hot/cold/dirty/noisy work that made the restoration possible. |
Operation
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| 2389 4-27-06 Preparing for the 2nd graders to visit the store. Bill Williams hanging their drawings. | 2390 4-27-06 Preparing for the 2nd graders to visit the store. |
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| 2393 4-27-06 2nd graders visiting the store. Students talking to the news paper reporter. | 2395 4-27-06 2nd graders visiting the store. |
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5580 11-14-08 Cub Scouts visiting the store. |
5583 11-14-08 Bill Williams talking to the scouts. |
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5585 11-14-08 Bill explaining the store stove. |
5587 11-14-08. Bill showing the scouts the 1920's burglar alarm. |
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| 7487 Picture 3-27-09 Irons loaned by Bettie McCachren | 7488 Picture 3-27-09 Irons loaned by Bettie McCachren |
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| 9845 11-26-09 Shirts removed from Harrisburg High School boys locker room in 1976. The other shirts were being cut up and used as rags but these and maybe others were saved. | 9846 11-26-09 The above shirts were given to Ted McCachren by Paul Williams of Lando-Manetta Mills History Center 803-789-6361 on 11-21-09 for display in the store. |
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342-375 4-5-2012 Thur .. Harrisburg area schools 2ND grade visit. Using a Hand powered corn sheller . The un-shucked corn ears were provided by Mike Harkey in Mount Pleasant . |
347-375 4-5-2012 Thur .. Harrisburg area schools 2ND grade visit. Demonstrating a corn sheller . The students were allowed to keep the shelled corn . |
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372-375 4-5-2012 Thur .. Harrisburg area schools 2ND grade visit. One student shucked the corn , a second student turned the corn sheller handle , a third student put the ear of corn in the sheller and a forth student caught the corn cob when it exited the sheller . |
378-375 4-5-2012 Thur .. Harrisburg area schools 2ND grade visit. Demonstrating a corn sheller . The corn cob seemed to draw the most attention when it exited the sheller . The students were allowed to keep the corn cob . |
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| 570-375 23OCT13 Wednesday, The stove has been loaned to the store for educational purposes to teach wood stove cooking. | 571-375 23OCT13 Wednesday, The stove came from the family that bought it new in 1949. |
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| 572-375 23OCT13 Wednesday, The stove was in continual use until 2003 and had been stored in the basement. | 573-375 23OCT13 Wednesday, Temporarily placed in the store 2:00 PM Tuesday, 22OCT2013. Will later place on rollers to relocate to different locations for demonstrating the making of home made biscuits. |
Copyright Ted McCachren 2009 all rights reserved