Scenic USA - South Carolina

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Lenoir General Store

Lenoir General Store - Horatio, South Carolina

Photos by Ben Prepelka

     More like a museum than a country store, the Lenoir Store in Horatio is quickly approaching the 150 year mark. Lenoir General Store - Horatio, South Carolina Its upper shelves, lined with Welcome to Horatio Sign - Horatio, South Carolina old-fashioned remedies and pain-relievers, match its creaky floor boards, bare-bulb fixtures and gas-light plumbing that still hangs from the ceiling. Built in 1869, the old clapboard building continues to serve the community as a post office and convenience store.
     Most likely the oldest establishment in Sumter County, the Lenoir family began serving the community sometime between 1765 and 1808. Mentioned in the will of Isaac Lenoir, the store has been passed Lenoir General Store Facade - Horatio, South Carolina down through six generations. During the late 1800s when the Horatio Post Office was established, the town's population hovered near 50. Often the store owner was appointed postmaster in small towns and the Lenoir Store's postal facility remains tucked into the front corner of the building.
     Placed on the National Register in 1997, the Lenoir Store is a rare survivor. Aided by revenue as a post office, budget cuts place this historic treasure in jeopardy. As post offices around the country face consolidation, the future of the Lenoir Store is quite uncertain.

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