PUBLIC "-//Fairfax County Public Library//TEXT (US::ViF::vif00023::A Guide to the Davis General Store Records)//EN" "vif00023.xml" A Guide to the Davis General Store Records, 1957-1972 Davis General Store Records MSS 02-03 © 2024 Fairfax County Public Library. All rights reserved. Machine-readable finding aid created by Ross Landis, March 17, 2024 Description is in English A Guide to the Davis General Store Records, 1957-1972 A Collection in The Fairfax County Public Library MSS 02-03

Virginia Room, Fairfax County Public Library Descriptive Summary Fairfax County Public Library The Davis General Store Records, 1957-1972 MSS 02-03 12.5 linear feet English The Davis General Store Records consists of 12.5 linear feet and spans the years 1957-1972 and includes the record books and daily receipts of expenditures at the Fairfax Station, Virginia store. Davis, Shirley Dove (1931-2014) Administrative Information Access Restrictions

None

Use Restrictions

Consult repository for information.

Preferred Citation

Davis General Store Records, MSS 02-03, Virginia Room, Fairfax County Public Library

Acquisition Information

Collection donated by Shirley Davis’ daughters, Linda Davis and Andrea Shimer on July 1, 2015.

Processing Information

Chris Barbuschak, February 2016EAD generated by Ross Landis, 2024

Historical and Biographical Information

What today is known as the Davis General Store at 7600 Clifton Road traces its roots back to Isaac Frank Woodyard. Woodyard bought the land at the intersection of Wolf Run Shoals Road and Clifton Road in March 1883. Shortly thereafter he opened a two-story frame general store on the site known as Woodyard’s Store. On June 5, 1907, George C. Fairfax shot and killed Woodyard in his store over a dispute over the location of the local polling place. After the authorities arrested him, Fairfax committed suicide.

Woodyard’s widow rented the store out to brothers Robert and Eugene Makely and eventually sold it to them on December 2, 1911. They renamed it Makely’s Store and also added a gasoline pump. The corner is still known as Makely’s Corner to this day. The Makely family sold the store in 1938 and it changed hands several times. In January 1955, Herbert A. Urie bought the store and renamed it Urie’s Community Market. Leighton and Shirley Davis bought it from Urie on August 5, 1957 and it has been known as the Davis General Store ever since. The couple had worked at the store for some years prior and in 1951, they built a house across the street from it.

By 1964 the business had outgrown the old frame building. Practically located in the middle of the intersection due to the crossroads expansion over the years, the Davises decided to construct a newer building further away from the road. They opened the current flat-roofed cinderblock store on April 3, 1965, and had the original building razed.

In 1973, the Davises leased out the store and eventually sold it in 1985. The store’s ownership has changed numerous times since and the building itself has been modernized over the years. Leighton Davis died on December 5, 1990 and Shirley Davis passed away on February 27, 2014.

Scope and Content

The Davis General Store Records consists of 12.5 linear feet and spans the years 1957-1972 and includes the record books and daily receipts of expenditures at the Fairfax Station, Virginia store. These records, maintained by co-owner Shirley Dove Davis, include complete daily receipts of products she purchased to sell in the store ranging from local newspapers to bakery goods to candy bars and automobile parts. She purchased goods from local businesses and farmers as well as national distributers. The receipts are kept in their original order. Subjects include Fairfax Station and Clifton, Virginia as well as the history of general store operations, material culture and products bought in Fairfax County during the 1950s-1970s.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

None

Index Terms Clifton (Va.) Davis, Shirley Dove (1931-2014) Davis, Leighton E. (1925-1990) Davis General Store Fairfax Station (Va.) General stores - Virginia - Fairfax County - History Material culture - Virginia - Fairfax County - History Small business - Virginia - Fairfax County - History Container List Receipts, 1957 August Receipts, 1957 September Receipts, 1957 October Receipts, 1957 November Receipts, 1957 December Receipts, 1958 January Receipts, 1958 February Receipts, 1958 March Receipts, 1958 April Receipts, 1958 May Receipts, 1958 June Receipts, 1958 July Receipts, 1958 August Receipts, 1958 September Receipts, 1958 October Receipts, 1958 November Receipts, 1958 December Receipts, 1959 January Receipts, 1959 February Receipts, 1959 March Receipts, 1959 April Receipts, 1959 May Receipts, 1959 June Receipts, 1959 July Receipts, 1959 August Receipts, 1959 September Receipts, 1959 October Receipts, 1959 November Receipts, 1959 December Receipts, 1960 January Receipts, 1960 February Receipts, 1960 March Receipts, 1960 April Receipts, 1960 May Receipts, 1960 June Receipts, 1960 July Receipts, 1960 August Receipts, 1960 September Receipts, 1960 October Receipts, 1960 November Receipts, 1960 December Receipts, 1961 January Receipts, 1961 February Receipts, 1961 March Receipts, 1961 April Receipts, 1961 May Receipts, 1961 June Receipts, 1961 July Receipts, 1961 August Receipts, 1961 September Receipts, 1961 October Receipts, 1961 November Receipts, 1961 December Receipts, 1962 January Receipts, 1962 February Receipts, 1962 March Receipts, 1962 April Receipts, 1962 May Receipts, 1962 June Receipts, 1962 July Receipts, 1962 August Receipts, 1962 September Receipts, 1962 October Receipts, 1962 November Receipts, 1962 December Receipts, 1963 January Receipts, 1963 February Receipts, 1963 March Receipts, 1963 April Receipts, 1963 May Receipts, 1963 June Receipts, 1963 July Receipts, 1963 August Receipts, 1963 September Receipts, 1963 October Receipts, 1963 November Receipts, 1963 December Receipts, 1964 January Receipts, 1964 February Receipts, 1964 March Receipts, 1964 April Receipts, 1964 May Receipts, 1964 June Receipts, 1964 July Receipts, 1964 August Receipts, 1964 September Receipts, 1964 October Receipts, 1964 November Receipts, 1964 December Receipts, 1965 January Receipts, 1965 February Receipts, 1965 March 1-13 Receipts, 1965 March 14-31 Receipts, 1965 April 1-18 Receipts, 1965 April 19-30 Receipts, 1965 May 1-16 Receipts, 1965 May 17-31 Receipts, 1965 June 1-13 Receipts, 1965 June 14-30 Receipts, 1965 July 1-11 Receipts, 1965 July 12-31 Receipts, 1965 August 1-15 Receipts, 1965 August 16-31 Receipts, 1965 September 1-12 Receipts, 1965 September 13-19 Receipts, 1965 September 20-30 Receipts, 1965 October 1-10 Receipts, 1965 October 11-17 Receipts, 1965 October 18-31 Receipts, 1965 November 1-14 Receipts, 1965 November 15-30 Receipts, 1965 December 1-12 Receipts, 1965 December 13-31 Receipts, 1966 January 1-16 Receipts, 1966 January 17-31 Receipts, 1966 February 1-13 Receipts, 1966 February 14-28 Receipts, 1966 March 1-13 Receipts, 1966 March 14-31 Receipts, 1966 April 1-10 Receipts, 1966 April 11-30 Receipts, 1966 May 1-15 Receipts, 1966 May 16-31 Receipts, 1966 June 1-12 Receipts, 1966 June 13-30 Receipts, 1966 July 1-17 Receipts, 1966 July 18-31 Receipts, 1966 August 1-14 Receipts, 1966 August 15-31 Receipts, 1966 September 1-11 Receipts, 1966 September 12-30 Receipts, 1966 October 1-16 Receipts, 1966 October 17-31 Receipts, 1966 November 1-13 Receipts, 1966 November 14-30 Receipts, 1966 December 1-11 Receipts, 1966 December 12-31 Receipts, 1967 January 1-15 Receipts, 1967 January 16-31 Receipts, 1967 February 1-12 Receipts, 1967 February 13-28 Receipts, 1967 March 1-12 Receipts, 1967 March 13-31 Receipts, 1967 April 1-16 Receipts, 1967 April 17-30 Receipts, 1967 May 1-14 Receipts, 1967 May 15-31 Receipts, 1967 June 1-18 Receipts, 1967 June 19-30 Receipts, 1967 July 1-16 Receipts, 1967 July 17-31 Receipts, 1967 August 1-13 Receipts, 1967 August 14-31 Receipts, 1968 January 1-14 Receipts, 1968 January 15-31 Receipts, 1968 February 1-18 Receipts, 1968 February 19-29 Receipts, 1968 March 1-17 Receipts, 1968 March 18-31 Receipts, 1968 April 1-14 Receipts, 1968 April 15-30 Receipts, 1968 May 1-12 Receipts, 1968 May 13-31 Receipts, 1968 June 1-16 Receipts, 1968 June 18-30 Receipts, 1968 July 1-14 Receipts, 1968 July 15-31 Receipts, 1968 August 1-18 Receipts, 1968 August 19-31 Receipts, 1968 September 1-15 Receipts, 1968 September 16-30 Receipts, 1968 October 1-14 Receipts, 1968 October 15-31 Receipts, 1968 November 1-17 Receipts, 1968 November 18-30 Receipts, 1968 December 1-15 Receipts, 1968 December 16-31 Receipts, 1969 January 1-12 Receipts, 1969 January 13-31 Receipts, 1969 February 1-16 Receipts, 1969 February 17-28 Receipts, 1969 March 1-16 Receipts, 1969 March 17-31 Receipts, 1969 April 1-13 Receipts, 1969 April 14-30 Receipts, 1969 May 1-14 Receipts, 1969 May 15-31 Receipts, 1969 June 1-15 Receipts, 1969 June 16-30 Receipts, 1969 July 1-13 Receipts, 1969 July 14-31 Receipts, 1969 August 1-17 Receipts, 1969 August 18-31 Receipts, 1969 September 1-14 Receipts, 1969 September 15-30 Receipts, 1969 October 1-19 Receipts, 1969 October 20-31 Receipts, 1969 November 1-16 Receipts, 1969 November 17-30 Receipts, 1969 December 1-14 Receipts, 1969 December 15-31 Receipts, 1970 January 1-18 Receipts, 1970 January 19-31 Receipts, 1970 February 1-15 Receipts, 1970 February 16-28 Receipts, 1970 March 1-15 Receipts, 1970 March 16-31 Receipts, 1970 April 1-12 Receipts, 1970 April 13-30 Receipts, 1970 May 1-17 Receipts, 1970 May 18-31 Receipts, 1970 June 1-14 Receipts, 1970 June 15-30 Receipts, 1970 July 1-12 Receipts, 1970 July 13-31 Receipts, 1970 August 1-16 Receipts, 1970 August 17-31 Receipts, 1970 September 1-13 Receipts, 1970 September 14-30 Receipts, 1970 October 1-18 Receipts, 1970 October 19-31 Receipts, 1970 November 1-15 Receipts, 1970 December 1-13 Receipts, 1970 December 14-31 Receipts, 1971 January 1-17 Receipts, 1971 January 18-31 Receipts, 1971 February 1-14 Receipts, 1971 February 15-28 Receipts, 1971 March 1-14 Receipts, 1971 March 15-31 Receipts, 1971 April 1-18 Receipts, 1971 April 19-30 Receipts, 1971 May 1-16 Receipts, 1971 May 17-31 Receipts, 1971 June 1-13 Receipts, 1971 June 14-30 Receipts, 1971 July 1-18 Receipts, 1971 July 19-31 Receipts, 1971 August 1-15 Receipts, 1971 August 16-31 Receipts, 1971 September 1-12 Receipts, 1971 September 13-30 Receipts, 1971 October 1-17 Receipts, 1971 October 18- 31 Receipts, 1971 November 1-14 Receipts, 1971 November 15-30 Receipts, 1971 December 1-12 Receipts, 1971 December 13-31 Receipts, 1972 January 1-16 Receipts, 1972 January 17-31 Receipts, 1972 February 1-13 Receipts, 1972 February 14-29 Receipts, 1972 March 1-12 Receipts, 1972 March 13-31 Receipts, 1972 April 1-16 Receipts, 1972 April 17-30 Receipts, 1972 May 1-14 Receipts, 1972 May 15-31 Receipts, 1972 June 1-18 Receipts, 1972 June 19-30 Receipts, 1972 July 1-16 Receipts, 1972 July 17-31 Receipts, 1972 August 1-13 Receipts, 1972 August 14-31 Receipts, 1972 September 1-17 Receipts, 1972 September 18-31 Receipts, 1972 October 1-15 Receipts, 1972 October 16-31 Receipts, 1972 November 1-12 Receipts, 1972 November 13-30 Receipts, 1972 December 1-17 Receipts, 1972 December 18-31 Record Book, 1957 August 5 - 1958 November 7 Record Book, 1958 November 8 - 1960 March 6 Record Book, 1960 March 7 - 1961 July 2 Record Book, 1961 July 3 - 1962 December 31 Record Book, 1963 January 1 - 1963 November 17 Record Book, 1963 November 18 - 1964 December 31 Record Book, 1965 January 1 - November 14 Record Book, 1965 November 15 - 1966 September 25 Record Book, 1966 September 26 - 1967 July 23 Record Book, 1967 July 24 - 1968 June 9 Record Book, 1968 June 10 - 1969 December 31 Record Book, 1970 January 1 - November 15 Record Book, 1970 November 16 - 1971 September 26