On the Poston Block of stores, the first store from west to east was the (Orton) Colton Grocery store. The family shares their recollections….
Jon Colton (EGHS ’55) recalls his family history:
The store was located in what is now called Old Town. It was on the South
side of Main Street and the far West side of the same long building in the same spot that until the last year or so ago that the Artist group occupied it (until 2019). I think they competed against the Red & White store that was in the bottom of the Masonic Lodge and against Haynes-Entrican store that was located in the bottom of the Odd Fellows Hall. All the stores were very small at that time until the Schauer Brothers built their “supermarket”. Their “supermarket” would be tiny compared to the stores nowadays.
Orton was my grandfather. Berenice Derr was a longtime friend of his who worked for him all of my life’s memory. When my dad subdivided our ranch, the main street is “Colton Avenue”. It tees off at the end and my dad named that short street “Orton Street” after his father. I grew up on Orton Street from the 5th grade on.
Orton and Berenice were dear friends and co-workers for many years and
until my grandpa Orton passed. They were not husband and wife. Berenice lived on Kent Street on one of several lots owned by Derr family members including the Crumps and Orton lived in his home on the S/W corner of Elk Grove Blvd and Elk Grove-Florin Road. Orton lived in that house from the time of his marriage to my grandmother Dana Foulks, sister of Guy Foulks, until his death. My dad was born in that house in 1915, the second of three children. Dana passed away when dad was about 13 years old.
Sandy “Samm” (Morse ’71) Haight recalls this bit of information:
My mom (Jane Derr-Morse) told me that Orton Colton and Grandma Berenice Derr were guests for dinner at my mom and dad’s house on Derr Street when I was about 6 months old. She recalls that they had a lovely evening; they enjoyed seeing my brother, Scott who was about 3 years old and seeing the new baby (me) as well. Mom says it was that evening that Orton went home and passed away; not certain if he had been of ill health or if it was something sudden that took his life; I just know it was a difficult time for my Grandmother to lose such a special friend from her life. I believe Colton’s Grocery closed after his passing.
