I still remember Mr. Joe Cotton ringing the bell and setting a package on the front stoop, tapping on the glass and waving to me through the window before hopping back into his blue Thalhimers delivery truck. It was always fun to get a package, even if it was simply ten pairs of hose for Mom or a case of toilet paper. (Yes, Dad ordered toilet paper by the case. Sometimes we went to the basement to “do inventory” and count how many rolls were left.) Over the years, from horse-drawn wagons to a fleet of angular navy blue trucks, Thalhimers deliverymen maintained a reputation for being safe on the road, courteous to their regular customers, and fiercely loyal employees. In one of the photos scrolling above, Hezekiah Jackson receives a special award from William B. Thalhimer Jr. (my grandpa) for 50 years of service at Thalhimers.
After Walter Johnson had driven a Thalhimers truck for 25 years without a single accident or speeding ticket, Grandpa presented him with a safe driving award in front of his cheering associates. Grandpa asked, “Let me ask you, Walter: How is it that you’ve gone 25 years without having an accident?” To this, Mr. Johnson replied, “Well, to tell you the truth, Mr. Thalhimer, I look in my rear view mirror to see if you’re coming. If I see you, I pull over and let you pass!” Everyone laughed, knowing that Grandpa usually drove like a bat out of hell in his navy blue Cadillac. He had places to go, of course.
Finding Thalhimers 
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