This is one of the landmarks in my travels between Fitzgerald and points north on Highway 41. Vegetation sometimes shields it from view.
Dakota native Cindy Jones Hauesler recalls: Mother would bring us by in the afternoons for RC Colas. Mallie Hobbs would give us the peanuts to go with them. Oh how I wish I could go just one more time…Scott Robinson notes that before it was a store, this was a freight depot for the Georgia Southern & Florida Railway. It was likely built between 1889-94.
I went to ele elementary school at Dakota where this store was located. Two teachers and six grades. Each morning teachers would take store orders from students who had money. Two older students would take bushel basket and order to store, walking along US 41. Also, I took piano lessons from Mrs. Ella Southwell who lived past the store. Twice a week I walked along highway to Mrs. Southwell’s house and had my lesson. Then back to school for rest of day. Mallie Hobbs was my bus driver , then his son Marvin took over. Precious memories!
Thanks for sharing your memories. Stories like this make everything I do worthwhile. Thank you for putting a human touch on this old place.
I remember riding Bill Lee’s School bus and him stopping by in the afternoons to let us get snacks which was penny candy and penny cookies in those days . Those were the good ole days when life was so very simple…or it seemed !!! Dakota Native Sheila Jones Myers
This store remind me of so many general stores I use to visit when I was a youth. Most were in Dooly County, Lily mostly. Like Cindy I would get either a RC cola, grape Nehi or a Suncrest strawberry. They were usually accompanied by peanuts, peanut butter crackers or an Ike & Mike. Ike 7 Mike came in two sheets of gingerbread with a pink glaze on each piece. I thought it would have gone better with milk, but sodas were good too.