The A.K. Small and Co. Safe
The A. K. Small & Co. store opened in April 1909 at the corner of Juniper and Washington. An estimated 900 lb safe was rolled into the store, with the company’s name painted on the safe’s door. Albert “Bert” K. Small operated the store until 1922 when he sold it to George Burnham and his son,
Frank.
In 1932, Frank bought out his father’s interests in the Murrieta Burnham store and relinquished his interests in the Temecula Burnham store. Then in 1956, Frank sold the store to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Miller. By the 1960s, the Burnham store was relocated to the former Tarwater store at the corner of B Street and Washington. When the store moved, the safe remained behind in the original store.
In the mid 1970s, the old Small/Burnham store was being renovated. David Johnson recalls what
happened next:
“As I passed the store, I noted the safe sitting in the corner of the storeroom covered with dust. Having an interest in antiques, I inquired what was going to be done with the safe. One of the workmen replied, ‘If you can move the 900 pound beast, you can have it.’”
At this time, David’s brother, Ronald, and his wife, Shirley, of Douglas, Arizona, were visiting their mother, Hazel Johnson Small, who lived on the corner of Kalmia and 2nd Street. Ronald was interested in the safe and so David allowed him to take it. A tow truck was required to load the safe into the bed of Ronald’s pickup.
When the safe arrived in Arizona, a locksmith was called to determine the code to open the safe.
The safe sat in the backroom of Ronald and Shirley’s house until they moved to Tucson, Arizona in
the 1980s. The couple moved again in the mid-1990s to Oro Valley Arizona. The safe then resided in their garage until 2016.
“Each move required employing a tow truck to move the safe.” David Johnson explained.
In September 2016, the Society was notified that Shirley Johnson owned the Small Company safe
and wanted to donate it. Pat and Annette Jennings contacted Shirley’s brother-in-law, David Johnson, and made arrangements to drive to Arizona to accept the donation.
The Jennings drove 450 miles to Oro Valley and stayed the night. The next morning, Pat maneuvered a truck and trailer back down a steep driveway to the garage below. Together Pat and Annette wrestled the 117-year old safe into the trailer. They padded the door so that it wouldn’t lock on the journey back.
During the visit Annette Jennings and Shirley Johnson shared their Murrieta memories. Shirley then donated the Johnson ranch bell, two branding irons, and other historic items to the Society. The Jennings thanked Shirley and her family for their generous donation. The Jennings then drove 450
miles back to Murrieta.
When the safe arrived in Murrieta, the Jennings drove the extra block to parade the safe passed the old Small company store. An important piece of Murrieta’s history had returned home.
We want to say thank you to Pat and Annette Jennings for going the extra mile and to David Johnson, Shirley Johnson, and their families for their donations. We would also like to thank all those that were involved in this acquisition. Sometimes it takes a village to preserve Murrieta’s history. Thank you.
100 Years Ago
Valuable silica quartz mines have been discovered near Murrieta and are being developed by Jean Laborde and the Trujillo brothers. Two cars of silica have been shipped from this mine this week to Los Angeles. (January12, 1917 RDP)
H. Zimmerman, manager of warehouse No. 5, of Globe Mills, Colton, just finished a shipment of five cars of wheat this week from Murrieta.
Mr. and Mrs. John McNeill have a daughter, born Sunday, January 7.
Oliver Freeman and family have moved again to their mountain home on the Santa Rosa.
The continued rains called a halt in farming. Some have their crop in and many have not. No snow fell to speak of this time. (January 20, 1917, RDP)
The Bar U Brand by David Johnson
The Johnson Ranch was located in Tenaja, eleven miles west of Murrieta. The ranch was acquired in a trade between my grandfather, Lawrence Johnson, and the Tarwater family. Lawrence traded an apartment building in Los Angeles for the ranch property.
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