Reed General Store

Our general store building was built in the Verdun area west of Oneida by Campbell County Reed in 1868 after he moved from Chitwood Mountain in Winfield. His son Joel Reed used the building as a store and the museum has copies of the store ledgers which can be viewed inside. Joel Reed would buy supplies for the store in Caryville, which took six days there and back. C. C. Reed, son of Joel, married Rhoda Ann Phillips and they lived in the old building until he died at the age of 91. Thereafter the building was inhabited by their daughter Alta Presley until she died in 1996 at 90 years of age. Alta Presley was widowed at twenty years old when her husband died from the effects of mustard gas that he suffered in World War One. Being left all alone, Alta communicated with family members and kept close ties with them even into her advanced age. Alta Presley is buried in Hazel Valley Cemetery next to her husband. The building sat vacant until purchased by the Museum of Scott County in 2007 to be used as a schoolhouse. After learning about its history, it was turned into a general store to feature items made by students of Scott High School and local crafters.