About this photograph
The above photo was made by Fred Ellard in 1947. He was working in the Gilley Store at that time and
walked out in front of the store to make a photo of the new-fallen snow. The house in the foreground
was built by Mr. James J. Davis in 1901 and later traded to Mr. Walter Shaw for a Buick Roadster.
The most visible store in the photo was constructed by J. J. Davis in 1896 and the additions were added
at a later date. There were actually three businesses in the store complex: a store at each end with a
third building tying the two together. The J. J. Davis store is shown. The N. J. Crumbley Store was on the
opposite end. The building between the two stores served as café, shoe store, barber shop, and other
businesses at various times. The door behind the gas pump led up a staircase to the Masonic Lodge.
Notice the tree in the photo, probably planted by a son of Mr. Davis. There were originally six or more of
the trees transplanted on the property from Lick Creek according to Earney Shaw. The 1930’s Highway
Department drawing shows the location of the trees removed from the property for the development of
Highway 278 through the Town of Holly Pond.
The Davis well was located just to the left of the tree in the photo. The first in-ground gas tank in town
was located to the right of the tree, as shown in the photograph. Mr. Davis believed it was too
dangerous to locate the tank near the store. Some years later, the tank leaked allowing gasoline to seep
into the well. It is reported that considerable entertainment was accomplished by dropping a lighted
match into the well around midnight.
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