Business Past – gradyhistory.org

Business Past – gradyhistory.org
Business Past
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Business Past
In many ways, the story of the history of businesses in Grady County is the history of the county
From day one, the first white settlers began trading with one another for goods they couldn’t produce on their own. Long before retail emporiums were set up, Grady County had a thriving agricultural economy. Farmers grew the crops they needed and raised the animals that would provide year round food.
Quickly, the rich soil in the area began allowing farmers to produce much more than they needed for their families. By 1915, articles were appearing in statewide newspapers extolling the agricultural production of our county before it reached its tenth birthday. Many crops such as pecans, tung oil nuts, cane syrup, peanut butter, and pickles were begun entirely for export to other regions. Production plants by such nationally known food companies as Campbell Soup sprang up alongside local facilities like Roddenbery, Wight, Robinson, and Richter. These industries led to a retail center being established in Cairo that rivaled area markets. Stores by such illustrious merchants as Oliver, Rushin, and Porter soon brought farmers into town to buy their goods.
All of this rich business history is presented in vivid detail in an ever-growing collection of memorabilia from hand-operated plows to antique office machines. Old storefront signs have been rescued along with contemporary photographs of street scenes from the early 20
th
century
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