Oftenhidden on the back roads and byways of the Granite State, country stores are anessential and beloved part of the state’s character. Developed from tradingposts as travelers settled throughout the state, they are recognizable fortheir vast array of merchandise and a fragrant blend of tobacco, spices andcoffee. The country store became the center of the community, where residentscould play checkers, mail letters, attend town meetings and shop. They arestill fixtures in many towns today, including the Brick Country Store in Bath,considered to be the oldest in the United States, dating back to 1790; Fadden’sGeneral Store and Sugarhouse in North Woodstock, which produces award-winningmaple syrup; and the Old Country Store in Moultonborough, which had itsbeginnings as a tavern. Historian Bruce D. Heald, PhD, chronicles NewHampshire’s historic country stores and the keepers behind these unique locallandmarks.