Old Telephone Has New Life At Drug Store

WATER VALLEY – One of the earliest telephones in Water Valley has new life after it was converted to share the rich history of Turnage Drug Store. Customers and visitors can pick up the headset and listen to third-generation pharmacist Binnie Turnage sharing highlights about the business history that spans 119 years and four generations of family ownership.

Fourth generation pharmacist Bobby Turnage spotted the relic several years ago when Water Valley native Terry Warren was remodeling one of the Wagner buildings located a few buildings south of the drug store on Main Street.

“I thought it would be cool to have, I bought it from him for $50,” Bobby reported.
Bobby put the phone in the hands of local historian Grant Thompson, who came up with the idea of Binnie telling the history of the store.

“You can pick up the phone, push a button and listen to Dad telling the story,” Bobby explained.
Thompson said he worked on the project intermittently for over two years, a job that started with a restoration of sorts.

“The back part of the phone was rotten, the microphone was missing, the bell holes were missing and the hinges were rusted out. I had to buy two phones in similar condition, but had the parts he needed,” Thompson said. “It is possible that this is one of the first phones that was on Main Street.”

Next Thompson starting researching about sound modules that could be installed in the phone.

“It is the same technology that is inside a teddy bear that talks when you press a button. They make modules that you can customize,” Thompson added.

The project then transitioned to recording the store history as Thompson initially sat down with Binnie for an informal interview. He took those notes and typed up a script.

“One Saturday we went in the back of the store and he read off the script. I put that recording in the sound module,” Thompson said.

“I think it is very important to preserve this history. People know that we are here to serve the Lord and serve the people, that is what we have been doing,” Binnie explained.

And at 86, he has first-hand knowledge about decades and decades of the business coupled with memories from the years that predated him.

The story starts in 1905 when his grandfather, Wade Smith Turnage, got off the train in Water Valley and purchased the business.

“It had been a drug store for 10 years before he got here,” Binnie Turnage explained.

During those early years, Wade Turnage was a one-man operation, filling prescriptions as well as other duties.

“He was a graduate, but back in those days you did not have to be a graduate to fill a prescription,” Binnie said. “There wasn’t a pharmacy school in Mississippi until 1908.”

Wade Turnage’s degree was a two-year course.

“He was a PH. G (Graduate in Pharmacy),” Binnie added.

Binnie explained that with each subsequent generation it took more years of schooling. His father, Wade Watkins Turnage graduated from Pharmacy School in 1932.

“My daddy took a three-year course, he was a Ph. C (Pharmaceutical Chemist) degree. Mine was four years, it was a Bachelor of Science and Pharmacy,” Binnie continued. “

Bobby Turnage graduated in 1999, earning a doctorate in pharmacy.

“He was a Pharm D. We finally got a doctor in the family,” Binnie joked.

Binnie also noted that railroad business was important as railroad union dues were collected at the store and prescriptions for railroad workers were filled.

“Illinois Central would pay half of the prescription and the patient would pay the other half,” Binnie explained.
He also said it was a complicated process, forms would be filled out and put on a mail train bound for Illinois Central headquarters in Chicago.

“Then they would send daddy the check,” Binnie said. “Dr. George Brown was a railroad doctor, everybody wasn’t a railroad doctor. He was always sending prescriptions over here. Daddy would fill the prescriptions and fill out all of that railroad paperwork.”

The generations of Turnages have valued service, and Binnie noted that he has appreciated this opportunity.

“I remember one day, a fellow came running in here with his three-year-old daughter. He said, ‘Mr. Binnie, my daughter found her mother’s bottle of medicine and took every one of them,’” Binnie recalled.
He initially thought that she would need to be transported to the hospital and have her stomach pumped.

“But I knew that it would take time to get her to the hospital and for them to get set up, it may have been too long,” Binnie continued.

He decided to give her two teaspoons of a medicine that would induce vomiting.

“And it worked. I just appreciated that opportunity. By the time they got her stomach pumped, I don’t know how much of that medicine would have been in her bloodstream.”