Old records around or store indicate that Roxbury Mills had a net worth of $42,000 in 1929 and $25,000 in 1935.  This paints a fairly clear picture of the effects of the Great Depression.  I have been told that in the early 1950's, Roxbury Mills was the largest handler of grain in the region, with of trucks moving grain to Baltimore, Norfolk, Petersburg, and so forth.  The original store was located on Lafayette Boulevard near Kenmore Avenue, a block from our current location.  The original store burned in the mid 1950's and the store was relocated to 622 Kenmore Avenue, two blocks from our current location.

     A large wooden grain elevator Photo Link was in the same block across the Boulevard from Jackson Street, located on a rail spur for shipping purposes.  The grain elevator was built by Roxbury Mills on City property and rented from the City through the years.  By the time Henry Lynn got to town, the old elevator was in bad disrepair.  We stopped using the structure for grain processing in 1977 and it was torn down in 1979.  I was the last person to work in the elevator and I have tales of grain fed rats to make your hair stand on end.  OSHA would also do "stand-still somersaults" about the structure in this day and age.  Times have changed.  You worked hard in dangerous conditions, but it was an enjoyable experience in an era now past.

     The manager of Roxbury Mills was a man named Ishmael Pugh, who worked at the company for 48 years (so I've heard), retiring as manager in the early 1970's.  In the spring of 1973, Henry F. Lynn Jr. was hired to manage Roxbury Mills.  The company had lost much of the volume it had in the 50's, and a corporation was formed to purchase the business in August of 1973.  Roxbury Mills was relocated to 601 Jackson Street in 1974 to a larger building "cater-cornered" from our current location.  The volume of business doubled in two years, still consisting primarily of livestock feed and grain products.  Henry was somewhat of a maverick electing to stay open until 1:00 on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, ultimately becoming the first feed store in town to stay open all day on Wednesdays.  (Years back, towns rolled up the sidewalks on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons so the proprietors could have some time for chores on the farm).

     In 1977 opportunity knocked and Roxbury Mills purchased our current location of 601 Lafayette Boulevard.  In 1986, we acquired adjoining properties of a second warehouse (spoken about at length in the property history) and the vacant field which is now our nursery.  The business continued to adapt and grow with the times under the guidance of Henry Lynn, and his wife Sunny Lynn.  In the early 1990's the management began a transition to myself, and Dad now fully enjoys retired life.  We employ about 12 full time employees and 8 to 15 part time employees in a flourishing seasonal business supported by the wonderful customer base of the Fredericksburg area.  Our feed and grain sales have gone from 65% of sales in the mid-1970's to less than 10% of sales by 2000, which reflects the changes in the area.
 

                                                        Andy Lynn

(Please feel free to send us any corrections or additions to this information).