Painting Decker Store

A professional painting contractor was hired to remove the old paint, and then apply a new fresh coat of paint. The color was chosen to match the shingles, and to add a taste of the early 1880 frontier. Scott Allen & Son, from White Hall, Arkansas, started scraping the building September 4, 2006, and on the evening of Wednesday, September 6th, the new face-lift was finished! The continued restoration of this project is able to continue because of contributions of many people, but especially of two very generous benefactors!

This building is an original piece of our early Tenhassen history. The Decker General Store dates back even before "Wyatt Earp" had the showdown at the OK Corral in Tombstone. The Decker Store served Tenhassen not only as a General Store, but hotel, stagecoach depot, and post office for at least 25 years, starting in the mid to early 1870's.

We still have a long way to go. The next update might be a front porch/boardwalk out front, somewhat close to the original to fit its decor. Please help us out if you can. The project is tied in with the Ceylon Museum, so donations can be used for a tax deduction. Please contact the State Bank of Ceylon if you would like to make a donation (507-632-4242). We could also use a stagecoach if you have one in your barn to donate!