A Blast from the Past :: The General Store Museum

Step Back in Time at the General Store Museum

Visitors to Cedarburg, hoping to find information on what to do and where to go, often make their first stop of the day at a 150-year-old gray frame building with burgundy trim located on the corner of Spring and Washington. Not only is this the city’s Visitor Center, but it’s also home to a fascinating little museum crammed full of relics from the past.

Cedarburg Historical SitesAt first peek, you may think you made a mistake and walked into an old-fashioned general store that sells just about everything, from hardware to groceries to pharmaceuticals to candy. There’s a soda fountain in one corner, a dentist’s chair in another, and checkers set up on a barrel all ready for someone to sit down and play a game. What you’ve actually stumbled upon is Roger C. Christensen’s collection of antique packaging and advertising art, that dates back from the early 1900s through the 1950s. This old-style retailing display, inherited from an A&P store in Green Bay belonging to Rogers dad, is believed to be one of the most comprehensive of its kind in the entire Midwest. Spend a few minutes chatting to the knowledgeable volunteer behind the desk, and be sure to take a close look at the pills and potions on the shelves. Talk about a trip down memory lane when you visit our Cedarburg bed and breakfast!