Bailey Carpenter (1910-2009) was Richmond Hill’s best known barber for over 50 years, and is still remembered today. When he died in 2009, just a few weeks shy of his 99th birthday, he had cut the hair of generations of local men.
His barber shop, now located on the grounds of the Richmond Hill History Museum, has stood at several sites over the years. Shirley Hiers wrote the definitive history of Carpenter’s Barber Shop, “A Mayberry state of mind” for the Bryan County News in 22 Sep 2010, and her article is the source for most of the facts shared here. She noted that Mr. Carpenter learned barbering during his time in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and began cutting hair around 1938.
Extensive conversations with long-time Richmond Hill citizens revealed that Annie Miner, who owned a small grocery store near US Highway 17, built a barbershop for Carpenter’s use between her grocery and a neighboring grocery store owned by Bennie Warsaw. And he did well, as he was the only barber in town. This is how he came to first cut Henry Ford’s hair, circa 1938. It was reported that Ford paid $3 for a 35-cent haircut, unheard of during the Great Depression. He even tipped Carpenter $10 on a couple of occasions. He was obviously pleased with his work.
Shirley Hiers wrote that Ford suggested Carpenter move his business into the back room of a two-story building at the corner of Ford Avenue and Constitution Way, but newer sources suggest Ford actually bought the shop and moved it to that location. (I can’t confirm either version). At this time Ford bought Carpenter a new barber chair, which he treasured for the rest of his life. For the next decade, Carpenter worked on the Ford Plantation while continuing his barbering. In the 1970s, the shop was moved across Georgia Highway 144, and moved down the road a few years later. In the 1980s Mr. Carpenter moved it to his backyard. After his death, it landed on the grounds of the Historical Museum.
Fascinating story and photo, Brian. This is Americana at its best.
Did you mean Bennie Warshaw? At some point he had a shop in Savannah that was a long-time customer of my family’s wholesale hardware business. By the time I got involved in that business (late 1960’s), Warshaw’s Plumbing & Hardware was owned by Irving Warshaw, probably Bennie’s son, and his brother-in-law, Irving Elkins. They did a booming business for many years, but the firm eventually closed when both Irvings died. That business was in the southern end of a small strip shopping center located on US 17 next to what is now the Lynes Parkway/I-516 interchange. That may well have not been the original location, but that’s the only place I know of.
Rafe, that sounds about right! The article stated “Warsaw” but your knowledge of this leads me to believe it was Warshaw. I’ll update and we’ll see if anyone knows for sure.
If I remember correctly the Miner family and Bennie Warshaw would not sell their property to Henry Ford. Bennie Warshaw’s store was located near the cross roads of Hwy 17 and Ford Ave. In Buddy Sullivan’s book, From Beautiful Zion to Red Bird Creek, page357 it states the Richmond Hill Baptist Church was organized in Feb 1942. Bennie Warshaw deeded a tract of land on the west side of Richmond Hill for the construction of a sanctuary. Bennie Warshaw sold his property in Richmond Hill in later years. I would have to research to find the date I remember shopping at the Bennie Warshaw hardware store in later years located at the Lynes Pkwy/ I 516 interchange.
Thanks for the info, Mr. Grimm. That all pre-dated my time. I was told some years back that the Miner family owned all four corners where US 17 and Hwy 144 intersect. Harrison’s Gulf was on the NW corner where Walgreen’s is now; Mark Harrison moved his gas station and repair shop south across 144 behind what is now CVS, shortly before the GA DOT took a wide strip along US 17 in front of the old location when they four-laned 17 north to GA 204.That was in the early 1990’s, I believe.
Hardee’s built on the SW corner about the same time, and did not pave the western part of their parking lot until after the state finished 4-laning from 144 south across the viaduct. I remember asking their manager once why their parking lot on that side was still unpaved, and that was what he told me. Hardee’s is now gone, replaced by a new Parker’s convenience store.
The Miners recently sold a large tract just west of the Post Office on 144, and it is now being developed as a subdivision. The land north across 144 was originally a farm, and Kroger bought it to put up a grocery store, sometime in the late 1980’s or early 1990’s. There was a big fight about that, but Kroger eventually prevailed, and tore down the old farmhouse. But they didn’t put in gas tanks at the time, and later built the bigger grocery store next to I-95 and added gas tanks then. The old Kroger shopping center is now home to Goodwill and other assorted businesses.
Richmond Hill today is far different from what it was in Henry Ford’s time. I got married in the old St. Anne’s Catholic Church in 1991, before the newer, larger church was built behind it. The only grocery store in the Hill in the mid-1980’s, before Kroger came to town, was a small IGA on 144 East, owned by Pam and Ray Shores. After Kroger came to town, Food Lion eventually built a store behind the Ace Hardware, then rebranded as Harvey’s for a while, then later moved south across the viaduct. Then Publix came to 144 East, serving the booming residential neighborhoods nearby.
Lots of changes in just the last 40 years!
Also read the Irvin Jack Warshaw (Sept 22, 1927- March 28, 2023) obituary, Gamble Funeral Service Savannah, Ga. Includes history of Bennie Warshaw’s connection with Richmond Hill, Ga.
Great little Barber shop & story!