Son Webb's Store - Where the Roses Never Fade

Son Webb's Store was just one of many little country stores that were scattered around Itawamba County. A close-up of the store, left, shows it during a 1974 flood. My Aunt Tootsie said that the store was prone to flooding when the Tombigbee River got out of its banks at Ironwood Bluff. She remembers wading into water in the store. Son and his wife Verna lived in the back of the store, and when the water started rising they would put as much of the merchandise that they could up on blocks.

The store served mainly as a gathering place for the community, a place to buy crackers and a coke and talk about crops and the weather. According to Aunt Tootsie, Luther Reich built the original store and Otis Reich took it over. Otis built a home across from the store that it still standing today, although not in great shape. This home replaced a much older, two story home located on the same property. The Reichs eventually closed the store, and it was re-opened at some point by Son Webb.

Son was not his real name; it was Cullin. The 1930 census shows a Cullin E. Webb, age 27, born in Oklahoma with wife Vernie and a son named J. W. Aunt Tootsie remembers other children as well: Paul Ray, Marcelle and Polly.

The store closed sometime after 1975. What I remember most is a small sign nailed to a tree outside the store. It read, "Peaceful Valley - Where the roses never fade." I'd love to have a good photograph of the store if anyone has one.