TRAVEL TIP:
This
Place
Will
was the dream of Elsie Booker, fortu¬
nately shared by her husband and their
son. Curtis. When the three were in
New England twenty-two years ago.
they visited an old country store and
Elsie said.
‘‘I've got to have a store like that."
The others agreed: and they im¬
mediately began collecting for their
own place, which now contains items
from all over the country.
Elsie, a pharmacist, started by col¬
lecting old apothecary jars and patent
medicine bottles — now displayed in
the pharmacy wing. John, an employee
of Liggett and Myers, began a tobacco
collection, now considered tops of its
kind, and displayed on the balcony of
the store. They and Curtis also col¬
lected old grocery and drygoods items,
antique furniture and pictures.
The family made trips as far north as
Nova Scotia, south as Key West.
Florida, and west as Abilene. Kansas,
to get the memorabilia now on display,
as they constantly followed leads on
auctions and sales from ads in news¬
papers and antiques magazines.
To house their treasures, they
bought lumber and fixtures from an old
warehouse and stores that were being
tom down. Then, using the original
mm
BAKIMt. POWDER
5*1“ Action
ject Looking down Irom Ihc bolcony to Ihe mom coom ot PoUeoontMill Country Store lototcd between Durham
ond Chopel Hill on Forrmgton Rood, «t
1»
on unutuol combination ot country note ond muieum (Tony Rumple
museum-store photo)
To enter Patterson's Mill Country
Store is like crossing the threshold into
another age.
Located between Durham and
Chapel Hill, the combination
museum-country store stands back in a
grove of trees beyond a meadow, a
building of w hite clapboard designed
to look like a country store of the late
19th century. You go up a gravel walk
and brick steps onto a porch of wide,
weathered boards, rustic with barrels,
milk cans, rocking chairs, benches,
and old scales.
A cheerful voice greets you.
"Hello! Hello! Come into the
store!"
It is Elsie Booker, co-owner with
husband John of Patterson s Mill; and
the Bookers* chief joy in life is sharing
their treasures with others.
Inside, the smell of soaps and can¬
dles. the loud ticking of the clock on
the mantel of a huge, stone fireplace, a
fat calico cat dozing in a rocker, and a
bewildering display of objects from the
past work an inexplicable magic on
you. slowing you down to the pace of
long, long ago.
Family Project
This combination
Take
You
Back
By MARGARET
McCauley clayton
