Milam County Historical Commission
Milam County, Texas
Milam County, Texas
Historic Downtown Building Led Many ‘Lives’ in Past
Milam History by Joy Graham
Rockdale Reporter - November 15, 2012
Two historic downtown buildings were recognized this year by the Rockdale Downtown
Association and Milam County Historical Commission Preservation Trust fund.
Leonard Isaacs purchased 134 Main, June 30, 1877. It became the Isaacs & Lockett
Grocery. It was bounded on the north at the intersection of East Cameron and North Main
with the building owned by Hugo McCawley.
Isaacs & Lockett occupied the front three-fourths of the store with the Locketts using
the back part as their living quarters. Not all of the previous owners of the building
are known.
Harry and Mildred Harris operated a café in the building. Sonny Whitworth operated a
Studebaker car business there in the 1950’s there.
During the 1960’s and 70’s the building housed a tavern operated by different
occupants. During this time a small interior fire occurred. There was minimal damage.
The building closed in the late 1990’s and stood empty until 2003 when it was purchased
by Chris and Mary Lee Dyess.
The interior was restored to its original layout, two interior rooms. A concrete ramp
was removed and the sidewalk converted to include steps for ease of entrance from
street level.
Last month, the Milam County Historical Commission website received an inquiry from
Wiley Clarkson of Walnut Springs regarding Leonard Isaacs and his wife Annie Letcher
King Isaacs.
The Clarksons’ are researching their genealogy, and had information on their relatives
the Isaacs living in Rockdale in the 1880’s.
Isaacs-Lockett building and its present owner now join the group of Rockdale Downtown
Assn. recognized historic downtown buildings.
The Witcher-Coffield building, 227-229 North Main, will be the subject of historic
buildings RDA recognizes in 2012.
Mrs. Isaacs was an artistic who drew pictures in colored pencils and painted other art
work.
A box of books and ledgers were found in the back of Heavenly Treasurers old building.
It contained sketches of various subjects, one in colored pencils, the head of a tiger.
Annie Letcher M. Isaacs is said to have painted in oils. The box also contained many
clippings from a newspaper in Galveston.
maryjoygraham@yahoo.com
.
"Milam History"
by Mary Joy Graham
All credit for these articles goes
to Joy Graham and any references
mentioned in the articles.
Published in the Rockdale Reporter