By Karen Freiberg

The ghost of Chickasaw past once again rushes into the present, only to discover its flame to be dimmed even more than before.

The old Chickasaw store has acted as a village sentinel for nearly 120 years. (Click photo for larger version.)

Chickasaw, a small settlement about ten miles east of Charles City, was platted in 1854 and maintained its autonomy into the early 1940's when the only grocery store finally went out of business.

It is the same store that played such a vital role in Chickasaw's history, that has once more brought the village into the news, this time for the last time.

The old store, now well over 120 years old, is being torn down by its present owner, Mark Jacobs of Greene. Kacobs reported that the vacant building, now in rather poor condition, was being used to hide stolen property and that he no longer wanted to take responsibility for its misuse by strangers.

Much of Chickasaw's history is wrapped up in this old building, now being torn down. (PRESS photos by Karen Freiberg). (Click photo for larger version.)

Altough few people are left who can remember much about the store's beginning, old newspaper articles claim that it was Chickasaw's first store, opened in 1855 by William Tucker.

Soon after this the building also doubled as Chickasaw's first post office, which was discontinued in 1904. Some time around 1890 the store had become the property of Mrs. C. A. Hayden, who was a postmaster as well as grocer. After the discontinuance of the post office, Hayden continued to make a living from the store, and expanded her business with the addition of gas pumps.

According to Neil Hughes, now of Ionia, Hayden owned the store until Louis and Mary Link, of Ionia, bought it in 1939. They were the last grocers to occupy the little village, and sold out in 1940.

According to the Links, a sewing machine service operated from the building until the proprietor, Keith Huffman, left for World War II.

Hallie Smith took possession of the building around 1947 and converted it into a home. In 1967 Leland Averti [?] remodeled the building and lived in it until it was purchased by the present owner in 1974.

Jacobs says he has no definite future plans for the property, but would either try to sell it or move a trailer in to it and rent it out.