The Lloyds Country Store and Museum

The Lloyds Store in 1948 before the State moved it back to wide Rt. 343 in the mid 1950s

 Original Store          

The original store was built in the early 1800s. After the death of owner John Anthony LeCompte Radcliffe in 1901, the family continued to rent the building to local tenants. Herbert Hearn had his first commercial start in that building. Saul and Addie Robinson Kirwin ran the store for a while and lived in the adjoining cottage. Their daughter Sophie grew up here, attended the Castle Haven School, and also taught there before marrying Arthur Jones, Maryland’s first State Trooper. Franklin and Sarah Steward were also early store operators. In the early 1920’s Thomas B. Radcliffe served as Lloyds Postmaster and used the store as his office before later becoming Cambridge Postmaster (1935 – 1947). Sam and Maggie Hill operated the store in the late 1920s, after which it remained vacant until a fire destroyed the building in 1930.

 

The Lloyds Store Today


The Present Store

            George L. Radcliffe had the present building constructed from a plan developed by architect Worth Jamieson. Tenants since then have included:

-       1935 – 1940: Joseph and Mary Cook Woodward

-       1940 – 1950’s: Victor Burns and family operated it as “The Castle Haven Food Market”. Sons Vic, Jr. and Ed Burns continued the operation.

-       Late 1950’s – 1964: Mostly dormant

-       1964 – 1970: William Donald and Edith Hubbard

-       1977 – 1992: Marilyn Riley used the building as a carpentry studio.

In the 1950s, the store was moved back from the road to grant the State a right-of-way for expanding the state road.

 

George L. Radcliffe’s Senate Office. A reconstruction with much of the original furniture

Store Museum/Interior

Present Use/Theme           

In 1994, the Store was set up by the Spocott Windmill Foundation as a World War II era country store and museum, recreating the period when the Burns operated the store. The west room includes a recreation of Sen. George L. Radcliffe’s US Senate office as it would have looked from 1935 – 1947. Using contributions from many local individuals, the building has been totally renovated and repainted. Many of the items in the building have been donated by members of the local community.