Burtonville

Burtonville Store about 1910

Burtonville Store by Gail Burton

Oliver Franklin Burton and Lidia Mae Burton were the sole owners and operators of the country store known as Burtonville in the New Hope community of Barry County, Missouri. During its existence, Burtonville gathered permanence as a locale, as evidenced by United States Geological Survey maps that specifically record Burtonville as a defined community. The exact period of time this store was in operation is not completely known, but it was believed to have opened for business sometime around the turn of the last century and endured into the late 1920s. It is not known whether the store was closed due to the Great Depression or by other economic developments of the day, but it apparently went out of business at about the time the Great Depression was on the horizon.

The above photo shows a full view of the Burtonville store, revealing that it had an upstairs and an attached room with a shed roof and a chimney. It is almost like the structure could have served as a domicile, but I don't recall any family stories to this effect. Unquestionably, the photograph is staged, as the barefooted children indicate the weather is warm and Oliver and Mae Burton appear to be wearing their Sunday best. The child sitting on the porch wearing an uncharacteristic suit jacket is Floyd Burton, the girl standing by her father by the doorway is Flossie Burton, the child sitting on the right side is Eston Burton, and Mae is holding Fred Burton. There is a black and white dog sitting in the shade at the corner of the added room. As can be observed, the construction of this building evidences the application of proper carpentry techniques and the use of traditional and manufactured building materials. The structure is level and all porch supports are plumb. From the perspective of viewing the photograph, the base of oil lamps can be observed through the right window and, looking beyond the door, a picture hangs on the wall above the backdoor, which is just barely visible. A large rock was placed at the store building's left corner and a young tree appears to the right. Only one advertisement is posted above the door for B. A. Thomas Hog Powders.

Ollie Burton in Front of Burtonville Store about 1925

The second photo shows only a partial view of the storefront, and the ravages of time, nature, and weather are increasingly evident. It is only an estimate, but it appears the year would be circa 1925. As to the photograph, it is evident that gravity is pulling the structure toward the lower ground on which the New Hope church sits. The porch supports are leaning and have been shimmed to keep the porch floor level. The right support has been replaced with a chunk of log and the middle support appears to no longer be connected. The doorway supports a screen door, the large rock at the left corner remains, and the tree to the right has grown significantly. Beyond the tree, there appears to be an orchard, grape vines, or some other type of cultivated vegetation. The rear wheels of a buggy are visible and the shadows indicate late afternoon, as my grandfathers left arm would be to the west. There is considerable more signage posted on the storefront and the backdoor is partially open.

When the store ceased operation, the structure was dismantled and the lumber used to construct a house on the bluff overlooking Pogues Creek just east of the New Hope church. Oliver and mae's son, Eston Ray Burton and his wife Florence Estella and infant daughter Mildred Marie, just back from McCloud, California, were the first to occupy this house around the 1930 timeframe. Eston and his family resided there until 1938, moving back to McCloud following the depression. While living "on the hill", two other daughters were born – Ruby Rae in 1932 and Anna Ruth in 1934.

Map of New Hope Community by Gail Burton

Burtonville on 1930 Map of Barry County