State Historical Society of Iowa

Monroe Mercantile Company Employees, 1911

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This photo shows employees of Monroe Mercantile. The store was the Consolidation Coal Company’s company store in Buxton, Iowa. The photo is from 1911.
Courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, 1911

Description

The photograph shows employees from Monroe Mercantile, which was the Consolidation Coal Company’s company store. It had a wide variety of products and is reported by some to have had fair prices and others to have been higher priced. The original Monroe Mercantile building was destroyed by fire on February 21, 1911. By March 21, 1911, the construction of the new company store was underway, and they held the grand opening of the second building, which also housed Buxton Savings Bank, six months later. If a desired item was not on hand, the store could order nearly anything from automobiles to the latest fashions. 

Source-Dependent Question

  • What do you notice about the employees of Monroe Mercantile?