J.B. Whedon Store

 
The showpiece of its block, the J.B. Whedon Store retains much of its original detailing. Especially remarkable is the largely untouched first story, where the principal change has been the substitution of a window for the original entrance to the dwelling above. Early pictures show that the pediment once included a draped fanlight.

A succession of popular commercial ventures has been housed in this building, including Mr. Whedon’s dry goods, C.A. Campbell’s Harness Shop and the Farrars’ store dealing in “Dry Goods, Carpets, Hardware, Groceries, Crockery, Pianos, Organs, Sewing Machines and Furniture” – the closest thing to one-stop shopping offered in the nineteenth century. S.E. Rideout bought the building at the turn of the century and operated a hardware store. Inspired by the restoration efforts of James W. Ellsworth, Mr. Rideout renovated this building and the one next door, which he also owned, painting them the prescribed white and roofing them with red tile.