Before general stores were commonplace, rural communities struggled to find goods and services and would often have to travel long distances to major cities. With their introduction into smaller towns during the nineteenth century, general stores became the community center where locals, tradespeople, and farmers could gather. Since there was only one small general store in each town, they sold a wide variety of products.
Many general stores were family-owned businesses, and each member of the family helped run the shop. Children were often given chores to do while they were not in school. Products commonly sold include locally grown produce, dry goods, fabric and clothing, and various housewares. Stop by this exhibit to find out what other merchandise was sold and how a general store operated more than one hundred years ago.
Organized religion was brought to the pioneers during the early 1800s by traveling preachers. Before churches were built, services were held in one’s home or at revivals, which brought large crowds. The major denominations of the area include Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist. With the growth of Christianity in Tennessee, the church became a community gathering center for weekly services, meetings, and social activities.
This exhibit displays artifacts originating from local churches during the early twentieth century. A particularly significant item in the Museum’s collection is an organ made in Athens by Southern Organ Company in 1883. Other highlights from the exhibit include a 1915 pulpit from Eastanalle Baptist Church and a stained-glass triptych from Trinity United Methodist Church.
