The old general store in Falls of Rough was destroyed by flames on Sunday night, leaving with it only fond memories of the building, dating back to the mid 1800’s.

According to Green Farm General Manager Chris Brown, the apparent cause of the fire was an electrical problem.

By the time Falls of Rough and McQuady firefighters arrived on the scene at 9:02 p.m., the structure was already in peril. They battled the blaze for almost two hours, but were not able to salvage anything.

Brown explained plans are already being discussed in regards to building another structure replicating the general store. He added the destruction was a hard loss for the community, because of the store’s history with area residents.

“Dating back to 1843, the General Store was the heart of Falls of Rough,” Brown advised, “with farmers exchanging stories about experiences of the previous week, families and children stopping in for a visit to the soda fountain and mothers coming in to buy groceries. Most recently the building had been re-opened in 2009 and included novelties, gifts, souvenirs and antiques from the peak of the Green Farm era.”

On Monday morning residents could be seen taking photos of the general store debris, and sharing tales about each person’s own memorable visit over the years to the historical landmark.