Irvin C. Magaha operated a general store in Burkittsville at 8 East Main Street from 1905 until 1948. During this time, he also served as postmaster of the town, and when he opened his store in 1905, the Post Office moved from Huffer’s Store (1 West Main Street) to the building where it is still located today. A collection of approx. 120 stock receipts, showing the products ordered for selling in the store, are kept in the archive at SMHS. These records provide a unique opportunity to view the daily operation of a rural general store in the early 20th century. Each receipt includes items purchased, the wide-range of suppliers used by Mr. Magaha, and the shipping notes which often mention using the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Washington County Branch, which spurred from the main line at Weverton and ran through Pleasant Valley (on the other side of South Mountain from Burkittsville) and then rejoined the line at Hagerstown. Many shipments for Burkittsville came to Gapland Station, which was just three miles from Burkittsville through Crampton’s Gap. The receipts range in date from 1912 through 1921, but the most complete run of surviving documents is from the year 1913. Two sets of the stock receipts have been included in this database: the 1913 year for being the most complete run of surviving documents, and 1920 to provide an transitional period of records.
1913 Stock Receipts for Irvin C. Magaha’s General Store
1920 Stock Receipts for Irvin C. Magaha’s General Store
Click here to view the surviving receipts from the year 1920
Eyewitness Burkittsville 
