History of the Wexford General Store

View of Village of Old Wexford circa 1890

   There is evidence of settlers in this territory as early as 1775 or before.  The main road traveled by the Indians, called the "Kushkushkee Trail", ran from the forks of the Ohio north to the Mahoning River and a large Indian settlement there.  This trail, later known as the Old Franklin Plank Road, passed through Pine Township in which the Village of Wexford is located.  Over this trail came the first settlers to this section including Revolutionary War mercenaries, Hessians, Irish adventurers and 'great Irish potato famine' immigrants.  The village, named for a city in Ireland and the only Wexford in the U.S. Post Office records, has as its heart the Wexford General Store.

In early days, the store and the stable across the road provided a stage coach stop for weary travelers, pony express riders and farmers' flocks and droves being driven to market in Fort Pitt.  During its heyday the building was 50 feet longer than it is today and housed a creamery, feed mill, slaughter house, butcher shop and the post office.  At one time, everything necessary for daily survival was available at this village
center.

 For over two years this historical heirloom, scarred survivor of the past, stood empty and decaying.  The old store received a new lease on life in December 1966, when it was purchased by James and Marianne Marino.  As a labor of love and working on a shoestring they converted it into the first collective antique shop in Western Pennsylvania.

Finally, keeping the original name, they opened their doors for business in May, 1967.  Nostalgic old packaging and general store advertising items spanning the last 100 years are displayed in the museum section behind the counter, and the architecturally interesting and rare balcony which once held the store's dry goods department is still intact.  The other upstairs rooms originally served as living quarters for the various shop keepers along the way.

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