Jenks and Martindale Grocery

Metamora, Franklin County, Indiana

Subject:                          Jenks & Martindale Grocery (19^th c. Functional c. 1880)

Erected by:                    Indiana Division of Tourism and the Metamora

                                      Shop Keepers 1976

Located:                        South side of Main Street between Bridge and Baines Streets, Metamora,                                           Indiana (#82 on Metamora Map)

Text:                              Alfred Blacklidge was the original owner of this

building.  The original building burned in 1885. 

                                       In the early 1900’s, Blacklidge sold a general line of

merchandise and was extending credit to

surrounding sharecroppers,  When bad times came,

forcing many of the farmers to default on their

debits, he was forced into bankruptcy and out of

business in the Panic of 1907.  He sold the store to

Ellsworth Martindale and Stephen Jenks in 1910.

They continued to operate it as a general store until

at least 1915.