Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1958-01-09
A Few Still Left
BY Steed Evans
Staff ReDortpr

lHe elcclilcdlly -OpeIdleu uOuDle
glass doors of progress are clos
ing on a fixture of Americana
the country store.
One of the last holdouts in
Montgomery County is an un.
painted. rambling building at
Norbeck that has been in the
Stonestreet family for the last 81
years.
That's not long as many bust
nesses go, but the store has
served three generations of coun-
tians.
Through them all, Stone
streets store at the NOrbeck
Road and Georgia Avenue ex-
tended has changed little.
The racks where harness and
tackle once hung now display
sport caps. Peeling outdoor signs
advertising Bull Durham tobac.
co have given way to bikini-clad
models anonymously hawking
filter tip cigarettes.
Out front on the high porch is
a nearly obliterated sign, covered
with glass that shows the store
once was a bus stop on a line
between. Baltimore and Washing
ton. Tt reads: Baltimore to Wash
ington via Gainesville and Eli
colt City, $125 round trip"
Way back before Rural Free
Delivery of mail, the store served
as a post office. The spot where
the racks of pigeon holes stood
now is occupied by an ice cream
freezer.
But in the main, the store re-
mains much the same as when
Arthur Wilson Stonestreet took
1t over from the Ranney brothers.
1t first was located on the north
side of the Norbeck Road where
a gas station stands today. 1t
was rebuilt in its present location
after a fire.
A. w. Stonestreet died at SO in
1929. His son, Edward, "65 past"
and his wife still operate it, six
days week.
Their main trade comes at
lunch time. IF IL weren't for
these construction crews, we
couldn't stay OPEN" Mr.. Stone.
street said.
French farm produce was
taken off the shelves many years
ago with the advent of the nav
encroaching super markets.
Whereas Stonstreet's once served |
an area about 10 miles in diam
eter, the majority of residents in
that area now prefer to go either
to Olney, Wheaton or Rockville
for their food.
The store occupies only the |
main front room OF a 14.room
building. Despite its weathered
the Georgia Pine
structure is still as basically
sound as the 100-cent dollars its
once spent.
All Of the rooms except the
store have been unoccupied since
1899. The old wood stove in the
center OF the store has been re-
placed by a more efficient stove
but the temperature inside Is Icy.
This doesn't seem to affect Mr..
Stonestreet who lives near the
store. He keeps up a merry
banter with his customers as he
strides briskly around the coun.
tiers. He has no plans to quit the
business now, so long as he has
his health.
Three aging companions TO
StOnestreet's store are BOs-
wells In BrookeVIIIe, Guy RIOr.
dams In LaytOnsvilIe, and
Whites, In Norbeck.
Boswell's, which has changed
hands dozens of times, dates
from 1902. The present store was
built In 1927 following a fire.
Its original owner may have
been Caleb Bentley, a venerable
Quaker who began operating the
Brookeville post office that year.
It now Is operated by II. W. Bos.
we'll.
Another stored, owned by Guy
F. Riordan, Of Laytonsville, is SO
years old. 1t was built by Frank
Dryer and Cranmer Griffith.
aiordan bought part interest