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Located on the Black River Indian trail one mile south of the current
intersection of State and Main Streets, Coon Prairie General Store, owned by Peder Evenson Gullord, the first store in the area, also served as postoffice from 1857 to 1880. |
Before Peder Evenson Gullord built his general store on Coon Prairie (Old Town), the closest market town was Prairie du Chien. Although the Coon Prairie pioneers attained a remarkable readiness to get along with the means which they possessed on the farm, and although they practiced a sacrificing contentment in doing without what they did not have, it was necessary from time to time to journey to town to make some purchases. Coffee, syrup, salt, meal, some clothes, etc. had to be purchased. The nearest town where these things could be bought was Prairie du Chien, 50-60 miles south. If there was not too much to be brought home, one often made the journey on foot. But most often many people made the journey together in their carriages.
Old Town, during its prime, had business on all four corners the last being a gas station. Besides the general store and the gas station there was a shoe store on the knoll below where Old Towne Inn Supper Club is located today, and a coopersmith on the northwest corner of the intersection.
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