H. R. Brown's Grocery Store
H.R. Browns Grocery was one of the last neighborhood grocery stores in Pittsburg, Kansas. By 1912, there were seventy-nine retail grocery stores in Pittsburg. Their strength was in their relative convenience for their customers. Regular customers were sometimes allowed to buy on credit and pay Mr. Brown after payday. This was especially helpful to the coal miners, who worked less during the winter months.
Mr. and Mrs. Brown moved to Pittsburg in 1904 and opened a grocery store three years later at 424 South Broadway. They moved the store up the street to 412 South Broadway in 1910, where it operated until 1968. The store had a small storeroom attached to the back of the building. There was also a barn behind the store that housed the delivery wagons and horses, which were used to deliver groceries to homes. Unfortunately, the barn burned down in 1966 and was never replaced.
The store featured fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, dairy products and a large variety of dry goods. Fresh bread from Kent's Bakery and P & G Bakery were delivered to the store each morning. Wholesale meat purchased from Beck & Hill, at 305 North Broadway, was carried by the store after 1920. Kerosene was sold from a large can for use in household lamps.
Brown's grocery store flourished for almost six decades, operating from 1910 until 1968. Kentucky
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This grocery store serves to remind us of Pittsburg's important past and the people that lived and worked in the city. It is an important addition to the Crawford County Historical Museum and is enjoyed by numerous visitors, who are given a unique glimpse into Pittsburg's past.
Erected by Crawford County Historical Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 37° 25.98′ N, 94° 42.777′ W. Marker is in Pittsburg, Kansas, in Crawford County. Marker is on U.S. 69, 0.7 miles south of Atkinson Road, on the right when traveling south. Marker is on the grounds of the Crawford County Historical Museum, accessed by the Frontage Road to the west of the US Hwy 69 Bypass. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 651 South US Highway 69, Pittsburg KS 66762, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Green Elm School, District 41 (here, next to this marker); Cow Creek Skirmish (within shouting distance of this marker); Pittsburg Kansas (within shouting distance of this marker); Wilkinson Coal Company Steam Shovel
Also see . . . Crawford County Historical Museum, Kansas. (Submitted on June 26, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on September 1, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 26, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 443 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 26, 2015, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
