1867
A post village and station on the B. & G.R., situated in the county of Oxford partly, and partly in the county of Perth - Lot 36 of the 13th Concession, township of East Zorra, and Lot 20 of the VI concession, township of South Easthope. It is distant from Woodstock 14 miles and 3 miles from Shakespeare. The Village was laid out by Alexander Mitchell, about the time of the construction of the Buffalo and Lake Huron Railway, and now contains four general stores, two shoe shops, one harness shop, two wagon shops, two blacksmith shops, a tannery and three hotels. Last year a very large and substantial brick-built, steam-flouring mill and grist mill was erected by Mr. George Malcolm at a cost of $7,000, containing three runs of stones; also an extensive flax mill, erected by Mr. Benjamin Shontz. Mails are received daily from the East and from the West. George D. Matheson is postmaster. Population is 300.
- Sutherland's Gazeteer - 1867

Alphabetical List of Professions, Trades, & c.
Hansuld Valentine - dealer in dry goods, groceries, hdwe, near station, see Card.
Kerby, A.M. - station master.
King, Frederick - salesman
Klein, John - dealer in dry goods, groceries, hdwe, & c. see Card.
Malcolm, George - proprietor steam grist and flouring mill, est. 1866, see Card.
Matheson, George B. - assistant postmaster, bds Matheson's Hotel.
Matheson, George D. - postmaster.
Matheson's Hotel - near rwy. Geo. D. Matheson proprietor.
Pimper, William - saddle and harness maker.
Reeding, Henry - boot & shoe manufacturer.
Rutherford, Johnston - dealer in dry goods & c.
Schnarr, Werner - general blacksmith
Shontz, Benjamin - prop., new flax mill, see Card.
Smith, William - dealer in dry goods, groceries & c.
Smith, William - blacksmith
Sparks, Vipond - wagon and carriage manufacturer.
Thacker, R. - Victoria Hotel, proprietor.
Weitzel, Henry - carpenter.
Whetlaufer, John - boot and shoe manufacturer.
Zoellner, Charles - Zoellner's Hotel, Gravel Road.
- Sutherland's Gazetteer - 1867

In 1876 Walker & Miles claimed, "In time it will be a distributing centre for the salt of the Goderich region."

This building was formerly the store of John Klein, at the corner of Woodstock and Maria St. Valentine Stock purchased store on triangular lot c. 1885 for $1700. The building was enlarged and red-bricked, but the original clap-board siding was always visible on the inner waerhouse west wall.