Jump into the family station wagon, take along a picnic, and start your drive down Memory Lane in Guinea.

Hamilton Williams did just that in 1972, packing in family members to drive around Bena, Achilles, Severn, Maryus and Perrin, photographing the country stores that once thrived in that busy community. In 1973 and 1974 he did repeats, taking his VW Beetle around to supplement the collection. Even half a century ago, many of those stores were not in business and today, many have been taken down.

He explains now that he did not photograph the Otis Hogge brick store at Achilles, as it had replaced a decade earlier Mr. Hogge’s frame store. Today that business, a survivor, operates as the Achilles Shopping Center.

We are pleased to present, starting in the suburbs of Guinea at Tidemill, the photos he took more than 50 years ago. Jump in, and ride along with us down Tidemill Road, onto Guinea Road, down Mark Pine Road at Bena, back to Guinea Road, onto King’s Creek Road at Achilles, down to Brown’s Bay, back to Guinea Circle, onto Maryus Road, down Perrin Creek Road, and back to Guinea Road at Achilles.

1. Tidemill, Fannie Waddell’s store and post office, fall of 1973.
2. Guinea Road before Bena, Stanley Williams’s store in 1972. Hamilton Williams grew up in this store, helping his father Stanley.
3. Guinea Road before Bena, Harvey Bunting’s feed store in 1972. It was built by E. H. “Ned” Rowe as a general merchandise store prior to the Civil War.
4. Bena, Carlyle Brown’s Studebaker dealership, later the county school bus depot, later John Smith’s wheel alignment and state inspection garage; shown in 1974.
5. Bena, J. Edgar Pointer Sr.’s store, 1972; now Lyn’s Mart. Bena post office is there.
6. Bena, Mark Pine Road, Billy Rowe’s store, last activity late 1940s, photo from 1972.
7. Bena, Buck Rowe’s Store and Bena Post Office, 1972; now Buck’s Store Museum operated by the Guinea Heritage Association.
8. Bena, Wilbur Templeman’s Barber Shop, 1974.
9. Achilles, George Ashe’s store and Achilles P.O., 1972.
10. Severn, John Heywood’s store, 1972.
11. Severn, Roland and Rudolph Shackelford’s Store and Severn P.O., 1972.
12. Severn on Brown’s Bay waterfront, the former snack shop run by Darius Hogge, 1972.
13. Maryus, Carroll Williams’s store, Maryus Post Office; building constructed in 1934. 1972 photo.
14. Maryus, Jack Williams’s store, taken in 1972. Store originated with Walter L. Hogge, then run by Schuyler Brown. Jack Williams took over in 1920.
15. Maryus, Clarence Williams’s store, built c. 1950; photo from 1972.
16. Perrin, Jim Ash’s Store (G. D. Ash & Son), later Marion Hogge’s store, old Perrin Post Office, business closed around 1965; 1972 photo.
17. Perrin, at the end of Perrin Creek Road, Willie Brown’s store at the head of the public dock on Perrin River, shown in 1972 when it had been closed around five years.

Our thanks to Hamilton Williams for sharing the photos and the information presented here.

A half century ago, Ham Williams documented some of the buildings that made up the greater Guinea area, taking photos at some of the buildings that made up this community, numbered 1 to 17.