I took this photo back around 1980 (35mm film). It was Mr. G. W. Bennetts General Store est. 1871. It was located on US 71 in Bennettville, LA. Bennettville no longer exists and the nearest existing town is Cheneyville. Mr. Bennett was a sugar cane farmer in Rapides Parish. He was awarded a patent for a sugar cane loading device in 1893 (US Patent No. 506967 A). He must have been quite an entrepreneur because he started the general store as a side business. He issued tokens (pictured below) redeemable for merchandise, presumably as an advertising/marketing strategy. (25 cents and 1 dollar bought a lot of stuff back then.) I like to call this photo, After The Interstate Came Through. I-49 was constructed many years after I took this shot. Still, I have no doubt that the creation of the modern, sterile, soulless convenience store/gas station contributed to its demise. I dont know if the building still exists. I havent been back that way in many years.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 23:03:31 +0000