C. A. Nethery & Sons General Merchandise
Milam, Sabine County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Charles Alexander Nethery, Sr. established a general merchandise near this site in 1880. Nethery married Amanda Francis Speights in 1884 and the couple had twelve children. When fire destroyed the first general merchandise store in 1915, the current structure was built a few yards from the original site. After Charles Sr.s death in 1942, the store continued under the management of their son, Charles Jr., until his death in 1996. The store is still owned and operated by members of the Nethery family and is the oldest continually operated business in Sabine County. The rectangular plan frame building with second-story loft has exterior walls and roof clad in heavy duty corrugated metal. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2009
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Charles Alexander Nethery, Sr. opened a general store near this site in 1880, and after fire destroyed the original in 1915 the family rebuilt the metal-clad frame building that stands today. Passed down through generations of the Nethery family, it is the oldest continually operated business in Sabine County.
Why it matters
A country general store that has served the same community for well over a century is a living link to the rural commerce that once held small-town Texas together.
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Related people
- Β· Charles Alexander Nethery Sr.
Themes & tags
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