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For years I have traveled outside Harris County into small old towns that have met the same fate of change as Whitesville the City. One such place at the crossroads of Ga. Hwy 18 and Ga. Hwy 27A in Meriwether County was Harris City. Just 10 miles North of Harris County and South of the County Seat of Greenville at a crossroads of both Rail Road and busy highways just North of Warm Springs. At this location still today are the ruins of a large hand cut rock building near the Railroad crossing ,with the old safe still visible. This store was the location of a General Store owned by George W, Jenkins, Sr. and built in 1906 to replace the wood frame building the business was in during 1898. At this time Harris City had about 200 residents. In 1907 George, Sr. and his wife Annie Snelson Jenkins had their son Junior, named after his Father. The business did well and prospered till in the early 1920 when the King died! By King I mean King Cotton; as all southen farm areas in the south, The Boll Weavil began to ravage the cotton crops and economics failed for farmers and businessmen alike. It was pure disaster for Jenkins General Store. George, Sr. went to the big city of Atlanta to start a small Grocery Store. He left the family in Harris City for two years, during this time George, Jr. finished high school in Greenville.
He set out after high school at the age of 17, to seek his fortune in Florida. In 5 years time George W. Jenkins ,Jr. began to operate the first Publix Food Store in Winter Haven, Florida; the start of a long line of Grand Openings that spelled the firms sucess.
Today, Publix Supermarkets is a Fortune 500 company and is the largest employee owned Supermarket chain in the United States, it employs 119,500 workers. From humble beginnings in Harris City, George w. Jenkins, Jr. founded one of America's great success stories. He was once asked,"If you hadn't given away so much, how much do you think you would be worth today?" he responded without hesitation," Probably nothing".
So the next time you are driving through any area with a wide spot in the road, think about what was there and what effect did this have on the lives we have today. You might be surprised! That tumbled down old building may be part of the foundation of a life changing structure.
Thanks Ron Rollins , Visit my web site for more stories like this.
Source: www. publix.com , The Heritage of Meriwether County. |
