To make a comment or contact the Aldersonian, click here.

"John   M. Alderson,   who   had   been   clerk   in   a   Palestine   store   previously,   set   up   his   first business   in Alderson   as   early   as   1878.   But   it   was   in   1884,   after   he   retired   as   railroad agent,   that   he   reopened,   and   in   1888   purchased   the   old   Grange   building   (seen   here) and   opened   his   general   store   there.   The   store   was   an   immediate   success. At   various times,   he   operated   branches   at   Wolf   Creek,   Talcott,   Greenville,   Sinks   Grove,   and Daniels,   all   of   which   were   in   operation   at   one   time   in   1897.   These   stores   supplied   the outlying   farmers,   who   could   not   make   it   into   Alderson   to   the   main   store.   None   of   the branches   survived   1920.   Mr. Alderson   did   a   huge   business   and   was   soon   recognized as   the   most   important   general   merchant   in   Alderson,   and   one   of   the   most   prominent businessmen in the southern part of the state. (   Photo:   John   Lobban-left,   and   J.   M. Alderson-right,   and   others   in   from   of   J.   M. Alderson’s   General   Store. (ca. 1895. Click photo to enlarge) He   operated   the   store   from   the   Grange   building   until   November   26,   1930,   when   the   building   burned   to   the ground. The   fire   was   one   of   the   largest,   most   costly   and   most   spectacular   ever   to   occur   in Alderson.   It   was fought   for   eight   hours   in   freezing   weather.   The   firemen   were   only   able   to   keep   the   flames   from   spreading to   other   buildings,   and   were   compelled   to   watch   the   store   be   devoured   by   the   inferno.   This   fire   may   have been   a   factor   bearing   on   the   purchase   of   a   new   motorized   fire   engine   by   the   town   the   following   year.   The total loss was $45,000 and all of Mr. Alderson's valuable records. A   new   concrete-brick   building   was   erected   at   once   across   the   street   where   a   restaurant   stood.   This building is still in use by the store. The store is still in operation...." (Note,   before   Alderson   bought   the   Grange   building,   it's   second   floor   was   a   large   hall   that   served   as   the Town Hall.)

This   photo   shows   where   the   old   Alderson’s   Store   (Grange   Building)   stood   (see   red arrow.   click   photo   to   enlarge.)   According   to   the   photo,   it’s   the   fourth   building   left   of the old Bank building. It’s also where Ayers Restaurant building stands now.