A Trip To One Of The Oldest General Stores In Indiana Is Like Stepping Back In Time
By Tori Jane|Published August 10, 2021
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
If you’re anything like us, sometimes you might wish you could go back in time. You know, just to see how life was. Well, what if we told you there’s a little place in Spencer, Indiana, where you can seem to do exactly that? Spencer is the home of Cataract General Store, which is quite literally the oldest general store in Indiana. As soon as you walk through the entrance, you’re taken back to a much simpler time, when you could grab an ice-cold pop and candy for a nickel.
Once upon a time in 1860, a little general store opened its doors.
All the while, in a little town in Indiana, this little store simply kept chuggin' along, offering up delights like a pickle barrel and delicious moon pies for penny prices that seem impossible today.
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It's always had a little bit of everything going on.
Need to pick up some basics like groceries, milk, and bread? Cataract General Store had - and still has - your back. Toys? Knick-knacks? Holiday decor? The store seems to have thought of absolutely everything.
Most fun of all, it has even kept a few relics of its past on the shelves for sale, like the 8-ounce Coca-Colas in vintage glass bottles it was once wildly popular for.
Better still, Cataract General Store is in close proximity to plenty of attractions and things to do.
It's a stone's throw away from "the Niagara Falls of Indiana," also known as Cataract Falls. It's also quite close to several campsites and parks, so there's plenty to do once you've explored the whole shop.
It's the closest we can get to time travel; this little general store - the oldest general store in Indiana - remains mostly unchanged, though the exterior signage has been updated over the years, and the building has been updated a bit for upkeep.
It is, however, still in the exact same place it was when it was built – all the way back when Lincoln was president. For more pictures, as well as the most up-to-date hours and information, visit the official Facebook page.
