[This virtual is a tribute to my wife who grew up in Braden and whose family spans many generations and still live in this area.]
The C.T. McCraw building was built in 1908 and served as the community’s general store, hardware store, post office and bank over the years. The C.T. McCraw Company was a cotton merchant business, which began operation in 1881 and included a cotton gin and sawmill located across the road from the McCraw building.
The first floor of the building housed the general store, the local post office and the bank while cotton grading and buying operations took place on the second floor. The bank was located in the mezzanine area of the building where the original safe is still in place. Also, the C.T. McCraw building boasts the first elevator in Fayette County which goes from the basement to the second floor.
A small brick building located behind the main building was used to produce acetylene gas used to illuminate the building in place of electricity. In addition, a cemetery that pre-dates the civil war is located on the grounds.
In 1994, the general store closed operation and auctioned its inventory. The C.T. McCraw Company is still in business today, in its original location across the street from what is now Braden Station. The C.T. McCraw Company and family owns approximately 13,000 acres in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.
In 2002, the building was purchased by its current owners and in March of that year, renovation of the building began. The shelves and the floors are original to the building. Unfortunately, the restaurant that occupied the first floor recently closed.
On the hill behind the building is a small grave yard that predates the Civil War. Be sure to grab the cache at that location as well (GC7V06R--Priceless Memories).
To log this virtual, please send answers to the following questions:
1. At the front of the building, there are objects on the roof of the building. Name or describe two of them.
2. What is the building name inscribed at the top front of the building?
3. On the front of the building, to the right, there is an historic plaque. What does this plaque celebrate? What are the dates?
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.