A visit to the Draco community

A few days ago I visited a community in Caldwell County that I had never visited before-Draco. I went at the invitation of the Bethel Advent Christian Church. It was their monthly church supper, a time of fellowship, devotion, and sharing of information.

Adjacent to the church parking lot is the old Draco Post Office located in the Green Livingston store. The dates of the post office are given as 1888 to 1915, but they think the structure was built about 1890. Even after the post office closed, Mr. Livingston continued to run the store until his death in 1940. Miss Eva Livington operated the store after her father's death until about 1989.

The purpose of the meeting was for people to share some of their memories about the store. Carroll Downs who had been a friend of my dad, is the oldest member of Bethel Church, and he was the one who told most of the stories.

Carroll says the building is over 100 years old. He says his dad would fill in at the store if Mr. Livingston had to be away. The store carried everything from clothing to fabric that could be used to make clothing, from hardware to gas. Tobacco was sold by the “chaw,” and cigarettes were about 10 cents a pack. And every country store has a pickle barrel, a salt barrel, and a supply of candy. Carroll remembers pulling 50-pound bags of flour on his wagon.

People came not only to purchase needed items but to stand around and talk as well. The news of the community was often disseminated at the store. Carroll mentioned that when he was young there were few autos. The roads were dirt, and people either walked, rode a horse, or stayed home.

Carroll remembers that Mr. Livingston wrote down every item sold and the amount of the sale. He is not sure if credit was extended but feels that it had to be. Sometimes, instead of money, items such as eggs would be bartered for goods.

One of the ladies recalled that the Caldwell County Health Department would send a nurse out to the store to make immunizations available for the children of the community. I remember similar experiences in Buffalo Cove, and I have to agree with her that it wasn't the favorite time to visit the store. Another similar story is about Nora McGee bringing the Caldwell County Library Bookmobile into the community so the residents could check out books. That was a more pleasant time.

The people of the church are committed to preserving the building. As one lady said, “It's an important part of Draco history. It's a community landmark.” I agree with her whole-heartedly, and I hope the few suggestions I made will be of some help to them.

Preserving such a building is not an easy task. In addition to the desire, it takes money, labor, and supplies. One community resident has already donated boards that are similar to the store's boards that may need replacing. If any reader wishes to contribute in any way, if you have information to share, or if you simply want to know what's going on, contact Jimmy Duffey at 754-1574.

I had an enjoyable visit to Draco. The community reminds me of Buffalo Cove where I grew up and where I still live, and the stories they were telling about the Livingston store were similar to stories I heard about Todd's Store. And the Bethel Church ladies just reinforced my theory that the best cooks in the world are right here in Caldwell County.

John O. Hawkins is a native of Buffalo Cove. He is the director of the Caldwell Heritage Museum.