Mohawk General Store preservation
We( Terry and Sandy Alberts) purchased the Mohawk General Store almost 8 years ago. It was 100 years old when we bought it. One of the things that attracted us to the store was its history in the community.
The Mohawk General Store has been a part of the Mohawk valley community for 107 years. It is a part of Oregon’s history. Built in 1914 via an agreement between the first owners and the Mohawk Brass Band members. The band supplied all the labor to build the store with the understanding that they could practice, hold concerts, and have dances on the second floor. The original stage is still in place.
It is much more than a country grocery. It’s a place to gather. For over a hundred years families have come to the store to shop, catch up on local news, and visit. We love when people come in and tell us about their stories about coming to the store as a child or how their grandparents brought them here. Local customers bring in friends and family from out of town/state to show them the historic building and hear about its history.
The building has the original wood floors with square nails! On the walls are historical pictures, provided by community members, depicting the various eras of the store. At one time the Donna Train Depot sat across from the store and so did the Mohawk Lumber mill. They are long gone but the store remains.
Unfortunately due to the age of the building (107 years old) it needs extensive repairs. This year we replaced the siding on one side as it was in bad shape and couldn’t go through another winter. Some siding on two other sides still needs replaced before the building can be painted. We recently discovered the roof needs replaced. In addition some structural work needs to be done upstairs. We would like to complete the work by this Fall.
We greatly appreciate the community support from present and past residents of the Mohawk Valley and from all of you who visit our community’s store while enjoying this amazing part of Oregon! We realize you, too, love this place and the history contained within these walls. Would you please help preserve the memories of past generations and help update this historic monument to yesteryear, allowing future generations to enjoy the experience of the Mohawk General Store? Thank you! Future generations will thank you, too!
