
Photograph by Chris von Holle
The 19th century shopping experience comes to life in the Fetter General store at the Heritage Village Museum. This real store was built in Boston (the original name of Owensville, Ohio) around 1866 by John Robinson, who sold it in 1868 to John Oonk. It sold again in 1879 to John C. Fetter, who operated it for 30 years, and eventually, after decades of disuse, Heritage Village Museum bought the building in 1983.
Since the move to Sharonville, the general store has operated as a hyper-detailed hands-on learning experience for guests, every shelf packed with real historical items. “It’s stuff that’s been donated to the museum over time,” says Bethany Jewell, Heritage Village director of marketing and volunteer services. “There are little doorknobs, cups, writing utensils, fabric and sewing machines, tiny shoes—having a general store lends itself to organizing collections in a way that feels like things you could have bought at the time.”
The store continues to be a favorite among field-trippers with games, toys, and costumes kids can play with lining the shelves.
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