MOUNT VERNON — It was on April 5, 1912, that business partners G.R. Smith and Royal Bartlett opened their new hardware store on the southwest corner of Mulberry and Vine Streets, featuring “a full and complete line of hardware and farm supplies.”
The 100th anniversary of that event will be celebrated on Wednesday evening, April 4, at 7:30 p.m., at this month’s meeting of the Knox County Historical Society Museum, 875 Harcourt Road. The illustrated slide program will cover highlights of the store’s history and growth, and changes in ownership, buildings and product offerings. The program will be presented by Smith’s owner, Bill Kramer, with additional contributions from present and past store personnel.
It is unusual for any small-town business to achieve its centennial, and we are fortunate to have not only Smith Hardware, but The Alcove and Watts Restaurants in our area to attain this milestone in 1911-1912.
The April meeting is also the Annual Meeting of the Historical Society, at which trustees are elected for the coming term. The meeting is free and open to the public, and all members and other persons interested in local history are encouraged to attend.
Published on April 2, 2012
