 |
| Selling cream filled pockets, purses in early 1900s |
|
| Question: In my grandmother’s diary, she wrote about selling enough cream to pay for shoes for her two children growing up in the 1920's. She makes no mention of where she sold the cream or what she was paid. Do you have any information on where she could have sold cream? |
| Answer: The odds are pretty good that she may have sold her cream at Nath Miller’s "cream
station." Nath started a first for Harrison in 1910, when he opened his "cream station" in an old
frame building near Crooked Creek.
|
| Most families, even those living in town, had a cow for milk, cream and butter. It was
not unusual for the lady of the house to use cream money on herself or the children, so your
grandmother wisely spent her money on shoes for the kids. By the late 1920's, cream production
was in 'big swing" within the county. It is estimated that Boone County realized approximately
$750,000 for county residents' pockets (and purses) from selling cream.
|
| Nath Miller had first opened a business on the corner of Walnut and Central Avenue about
1907. It was a small clapboard building with a few chicken coops; an area with platform
scales and was known as Mose Smith Produce, named for Nath's foster father. By 1914, Nath
bought out Smith's interest and tried to buy a corner lot on the Harrison square, but city fathers
objected to a "chicken coop" business on the square. Nath then selected a lot one block south on
Vine Street and built a large concrete building with the first concrete floor within the business
area. For many years, some of us remember this building, located between the north end of the
Crooked Creek Bridge and the southeast corner of the square.
|
| As his business prospered, he not only bought cream but the poultry end of the business
grew to include large shipments of chickens, sent to places such as New York City, by American
Railway Express. |
| Nath Miller was not the only person buying cream. Burn Harrell's Store in Bellefonte, and J. B. Cook's Store in Bergman also bought cream. Later, some Bergman residents remember
selling cream to a company in Carthage, Missouri; shipping it by rail at Bergman, - in cans
provided by the creamery. Many times the cans were not rinsed out before sending back to
Bergman - creating quite a stink when they arrived back a day or so later! |
| Nath Miller sold his business to Roy Milum in 1921 and retired. Only this retirement did
not last very long! He began raising hogs on a plot of land he owned, (now known as the Minnie
Harris Park), and even bought hogs from the public, shipping them by rail to points such as
Kansas City and St. Louis. As most pig farmers know, market prices fluctuate and being a
shrewd businessman, Nath started a small supply business furnishing vaccines for hogs and cattle
to area farmers. By 1931, he began dabbling in nails, horse shoes, nuts and bolts, plow shares and
other needs for the farmer. In 1937, Joe Miller joined his father in business and the rest is
history. You have only to say two words - " Miller Hardware"- and everyone knows who, what
and where you are talking about! Nath Miller laid the foundation but Joe took it and "ran." Now
Meredith holds the reins and proudly carries on what one hardworking and respected gentleman
started in the early 1900's. The full story of Nath and Dora Miller is found in the History of
Boone County, Arkansas, with a narrative by Roger V. Logan, Jr. Only a limited number of
copies are available at the Heritage Museum and I encourage every family to have this book in
their home.
|
| Many old diaries, such as your grandmother's, tell stories that should be shared. They
give us a glimpse of what life was like when she was raising a family, giving you an appreciation
of what she accomplished. The Heritage Museum welcomes your stories and family histories.
The museum is located on the corner of South Cherry Street and Central Avenue. Hours are
from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. We strive to preserve the history of Boone
County and its people. Volunteers are needed for the summer season. If you have three hours a
week to spare, we would like to have you spend those three hours serving as a greeter at the
museum. Our phone number is 741-3312 and our website is www.bchrs.org. Check it out! |
| This column appears Fridays in the Harrison Daily Times. Mail questions to Boone County Heritage Museum, P. O. Box 1094, Harrison, AR 72601. Marilyn Smith can be contacted at bchm@windstream.net |
|
|
 |
|
|
