Historic Site

In 1901, Aquiles Arriola opened his store here with a great variety of goods lining the store walls. Arriol's son, Gustavo, grew up to be a well-known cartoonist with his own comic strip "Gordo". He wrote in his auto biography "Accidental Ambassador" that his father's general store was unique as it was the only one in town that sold fresh oysters. Aquiles would hold gramophone concerts at the store and he sold the gramophone players with the records.

When opened in 1880, this building was first called the W.C. Smith Store and in 1884, the name W. C. Smith Store changed hands to J.D. Rittenhouse Store. It was frontier style clapboard with a false height front. This commercial building has a long, rectangular plan and was built with its front fa?ade on the parcel's Main Street property line. A second story wood frame was added later and the front was then changed to cement and stucco.

Listed, National Register of Historic Places

Year built: circa 1880
315 North Main Street

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