Florence in Pinal County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)

C. G. Powell People's Store

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 16, 2010

1. C. G. Powell People's Store Marker

Inscription. Town founder Levi Ruggles built a store on this site in 1876. In 1882, it became Peter Will's Brewery. It was demolished for the construction, in 1915, of the C. G. Powell People's Store, a single-story, commercial building. Prominent Phoenix architects Lescher and Kibbey incorporated exposed buff-color and common red-brick, leaded-glass transoms, a pressed-metal ceiling, and a tiled island display case. Beginning in 1919, the Kaufmann Mandell family operated Mandell's Department Store at this location for more than seventy years.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Erected 1999 by Town of Florence and Arizona Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Arizona, Historic Florence Walking Tour series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.

Location. 33° 2.054′ N, 111° 23.25′ W. Marker is in Florence, Arizona, in Pinal County. It is on North Main Street near 8th Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 290 North Main Street, Florence AZ 85132, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert,

in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area,

in the San Carlos Apache Nation,

and specifically in the Tohono O’odham Nation.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: White-McCarthy Lumber and Hardware Company (a few steps

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from this marker); Juan Avenenti Building (a few steps from this marker); W.C. Smith/Rittenouse/Arriola's Cosmopolitan Store (within shouting distance of this marker); Mauk Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Conrad Brunenkant Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Jesus Martinez House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Charles Rapp Saloon (about 300 feet away); William Clark House (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Florence.

Regarding C. G. Powell People's Store. This building is sometimes called The Popular Store or Mandell's Department Store.

This site is #14 on the self-guided Historic Florence Walking Tour.

C. G. Powell People's Store image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 16, 2010

2. C. G. Powell People's Store

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 16, 2010

3. C. G. Powell People's Store

Looking southwest from Main Street and 8th Street, Florence. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Kirchner, January 16, 2010

4. Looking southwest from Main Street and 8th Street, Florence.

C. G. Powell People's Store is on the corner and White-McCarthy Lumber and Hardware Company is next building south.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 22, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,313 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 22, 2010, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.