Colonial Williamsburg Museum - 2014 Summer Issue WILLIAMSBURG

WHAT’s UP? WITH
A Bit of Williamsburg History
A Present View of Bingley's Corner (Photo taken by What's Up? Magazine)
BINGLEY’S CORNER
THEN--Benschoten & Carter Insurance
Agency, Rash’s Amoco Service Station, Damian’s
Citgo Service Station, Bingley’s Grocery,
Nottingham’s Pharmacy, and Magruder
Elementary School.
BINGLEY’S CORNER
NOW--Benschoten & Carter Insurance
Agency, Rash’s BP, Kelly Tires,Wawa
Convenience Store, Magruder School.
As told by Billy Scruggs, present
owner of Retro’s and The Fife & Drum
Inn (the only downtown Inn in Historic
Williamsburg). Billy grew up around Bingley’s
Corner and tells his story.
In the mid-1930’s to early 40’s, Ellis Bingley
opened Bingley’s Grocery (where Wawa is now
located) on what was to be called Bingley’s
Corner. Ellis and his wife lived in a house
behind the store, now the location of the Animal
Clinic & Wellness Center. Bingley’s had
their own butcher, as did most neighborhood
groceries in those days. Buck, Ellis’ oldest son,
was the butcher. The bologna sandwich was a
big item and I would order a nice thick slice;
Buck would cut it as thick as you wanted. I have
fond memories of those bologna sandwiches served
on white bread.
When I was 12 years old, I delivered the
Richmond Dispatch newspaper. They would drop
off the newspapers at Bingley’s where I would
pick them up for delivery. I remember a stove
back in the corner of the store where the men
would gather on cold days to stay warm and
chat. Oh, those were the days. Ellis served in
World War I, and shared his stories about the
war with many. He died at around 104 years of
age.
In the 1950’s the Rash’s Amoco Service Station
was owned by Mr. Rash, and he had 4 boys
18 | Historic Triangle What’s Up ? Magazine August/September 2014