Built circa 1820 in typical Western Reserve Greek Revival style, this building was the first permanent structure in Peninsula and is one of the oldest buildings in the Western Reserve. This combination house and store faced the canal which explains why the “front door” is actually on the east side of the building. In 1863 Frederick Wood bought the building. It was Wood who added on to the north and west and built a one-story entry porch across the south that changed the orientation of the building to Main Street. Under the name of Fred Wood and Son, this store sold dry goods, groceries, drugs and medicines until the turn of the century.
This building has been a general store, a barbershop and a post office. By the early 1960s the building, in near total disrepair, was nearly torn down to make a parking lot. Fortunately this historic store was saved before demolition began and then restored by Robert Hunker.*
*History courtesy of Walter Herip & the Chamber’s Architectural Tour. Used with permission.
