Inscription
(Latta, S.C.)
In rural communities throughout the country, the local general store was the focal point of town activities. Not only did these stores serve to provide the necessities of life, they offered a gathering point for the exchange of information and more often than not where they would post and pick up their mail. The Bethea Store and Post Office was one such community center. The building has been restored through a grant provided by the Latta School District and furnished much the same way as it would have been during Robert Bethea's time. All items have been contributed or on loan from local citizens.Robert Rose Bethea
[Picture included] Robert Rose Bethea was born in Marion County on May 14, 1858 and as an African American grew up in an era with one foot in the past and one with the potential for a bright future for someone willing to work hard and persevere. Bethea attended Marion County schools and tradition says he was an avid reader and strong believer in education. His beliefs in education and hard work were to lead him to a successful career as a local merchant and community leader. He was active with his church Weston Chapel and Masonic Lodge. It was because of this dedication to community that he was appointed by President Grover Cleveland to become Postmaster in July 1890. This was quite an honor for an African American in an era of growing Jim Crow legislation. Bethea ran the Post Office from this store on Main Street until February 1893.
Details
| HM Number | HMUOC |
|---|---|
| Series | This marker is part of the Postal Mail and Philately series |
| Tags | |
| Placed By | Town Council Latta S.C |
| Marker Condition |   7 out of 10 (1 reports) |
| Date Added | Friday, October 3rd, 2014 at 4:49am PDT -07:00 |
Pictures
Photo Credits: [1] ROGER C PATE [2] ROGER C PATE [3] ROGER C PATE
Locationbig map
| UTM (WGS84 Datum) | 17S E 644024 N 3800799 |
|---|---|
| Decimal Degrees | 34.33850000, -79.43425000 |
| Degrees and Decimal Minutes | N 34° 20.31', W 79° 26.055' |
| Degrees, Minutes and Seconds | 34° 20' 18.60" N, 79° 26' 3.30" W |
| Driving Directions | Google Maps |
| Area Code(s) | 843 |
| Closest Postal Address | At or near 101-199 S Marion St, Latta SC 29565, US |
| Alternative Maps | Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap |
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Show me all markers in: Latta, SC | Dillon County | 29565 | South Carolina | United States of America
I Saw The Marker
Stopped by to visit Latta Library SCHM across the street, notice the old Shell gas pump and oil/Kerosene tank outside the wfooden structure, interesting historical information board gave information on this wooden structure during its heydey as local general store and US Post Office.
Nov 29, 2016 at 4:26pm PST by rcpate1308
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