Bob’s Country Store exemplifies the efforts of one man’s dream and the good wife who supported him. Bob’s passed on, but Joyce occasionally will let you in if she sees you milling about. If you are lucky, by the time you find this geocache you might see Grandma down at the store, and this museum of country comforts may open for tour.
Update: Bob's Country Store went up for auction on 6/1/13. The contents were sold to many lucky attendees, including perhaps a timely geocacher passing through on the first day launch of the Experience Cortland GeoTour.
The site (and memories of foregone days) will remain.
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Authentic country store merchandise overflows the shelves and cupboards of Bob’s Country Store & Museum. Americana is on display from the early 1800’s to the twentieth century, with the old time country store ambience thrown in. Hear the screen door slam on summer entry, or the crackling woodstove on a snow driven day. Relive conversations of times past initiated by memorabilia on display.
Pioneer crossroads stores of the early 1800’s, where farm produce was sometimes exchanged by barter for staples, gradually developed into the hub of the community. Everything could be found from soup to nuts, coffee to crockery, rifles to ribbon, muslin to medicine, books to brooms, harnesses to bartered eggs and butter. If they didn’t have it they would try to get it. It was the place to pick up your mail (the merchant was also the postmaster) or watch a furious checker game while swapping current news and opinions.
In an adjoining museum room can be found a doctor’s office and drug store, replete with elixirs and early mechanical diagnostic & healing devices. As patented medicine became available already packaged, many remedies for man or beast could be acquired from the same bottle. Generally, one remedy would cure just about everything.
This free museum exists through the good work of Joyce and (the late) Robert Barrows. Robert was born in the upstairs living quarters of the country store in Messingerville, New York, and this accounted for his innate love of the vanishing country store culture. Over the years the Barrows developed an extensive collection of authentic country store merchandise, equipment, and paraphernalia. Incorporated in this delightful homemade museum are doors, windows and counters salvaged from some local original country stores as well as McGraw, NY's, first post office.
The museum is open Friday – Sunday, relaxed hours, and other days by chance. On the Monday of this writer’s visit, Joyce was next door putting up relish. She kindly took time out while her relish was sitting and soaking to provide a tour.
- SC