Houseal's General Store
circa 1900

Houseal's General store, on the corner of East High and South Taylor Streets, is one of the few remaining public places where the citizens of Maytown can meet and chat with their neighbors. It was built about 1902 for John A. Dehoff on a lot previously occupied by Charles Mayer's tin shop, a stone and log building. He came to Maytown before 1900 as a school teacher and started his first store in the first block of South River Street. This second store and dwelling was custom designed of brick with fine wood moldings and accents in the Queen Anne Revival style of architecture. The Houseal family still possess the original blue prints.

The new store had three floors with a department store on the first two and an unknown fraternal lodge above. The Houseals have owned the store since 1941 when the late Robert Houseal purchased it. Jay Houseal, Robert's son and the present owner, now keeps shop only on the first floor. A hair salon occupies the second floor, while the third is used for storage. The dwelling, first occupied by the Dehoffs, has become apartments. Most of the store furnishings are original and "penny candy" and other general merchandise is still available.