Hanks
Hanks was located about 4 miles west of Dry Ridge on Warsaw Road (Kentucky 467). Today, people can identify the Hanks area by the sight of a communications tower constructed where the small community was at one time. The only residents in Hanks were C. L. Alexander who operated a grocery store and had a residence behind the store, Jimshack Webster who lived across the road from the store and Ezra Webster who lived at the present day O. Beach farm.
The only business at Hanks was the grocery store which also served as the Post Office. The store was built some time in the late 1800s by C. L. Alexander. He operated the store and was also the first and only postmaster at Hanks. The post office was in operation from about 1898 to 1906. Mrs. E. J. Kuhn (nee Lamb) remembers the post office and store. A Mr. Spillman was first mail carrier. After Spillman, Ezra Webster was named mail carrier. The post office was moved to Elliston in February 1906.
Mrs. Thelma Alexander Vest, a niece of Mr. Alexander, remembered the store also. She recalled the many over night visits she and her parents made to Mr. Alexander's. Mr. Alexander sold the store, moved to Dry Ridge and bought a hardware store form Mr. Harry Eckler. He operated the hardware store until the early 1940's, when he sold the store.
History
of Grant County, John B. Conrad,
Editor
Published by the
Grant County Historical
Society
Williamstown,
Kentucky
Article by P. W.
Alexander, 1992.