​Looking Back: 506 Main Street, Circa 1934

While the Historical Society found a permanent location at 506 Main Street twenty-five years ago, the building is much older. I had hoped to tell you how old this week, however, when I attempted to do my research with the Jackson County Recorder of Deeds office, I was met with a delay. It would appear the “Historic Deeds” department is undergoing renovations and will be unavailable until mid-July. So, in the meantime, I will be sharing a bit of what I do know about the building.

As I have shared with you before, when my mother graduated from Grain Valley High School in 1932, college was out of the question. One, it was the height of the Great Depression, and two, her father’s feed store and only source of income burned in December. So instead of college, she went to work for her brother-in-law at his grocery store at Sni Mills, just south of Oak Grove. She also lived with her sister Opal and brother-in-law, Clyde in the rooms above the store. In those days, it was typical to live above your place of business.

The job didn’t last long, because in early 1934 Clyde and Opal learned they were about to have a child and would need a larger home. They had an opportunity to buy a house on Walnut Street in Grain Valley from Opal’s aunt and uncle, Ruth and Irvin Belford.

It was then that Uncle Clyde moved his business to a store front he rented at 506 Main Street.

That’s right, he ran a grocery business in what is now the historical society.  This week, I am sharing with you an advertisement from his store. Looks like in addition to corn meal for 2.2-cents a pound, or a pound of peanut butter for 10-cents, you could also but kerosene, clothes pins and laundry starch!
 
Next week I’ll tell you more about the businesses at 506 Main.

Photo credit: Grain Valley Historical Society