Help with the Sinclair Station and/or Campbell's Store

Location of Campbell's store, next to the library

One of the fun things that has happened since I’ve been writing the blog is that by default (and partially by intent) I’ve set myself up as, well not so much an “expert”, because I don’t claim to be that, but maybe as a clearinghouse of local history information. In that capacity, I often find people emailing me with questions about people, places, and events from MCH’s past. Sometimes I can answer them, sometimes I can’t, and sometimes –like now— I think, “I’ll bet someone else knows about this!”

The most recent query relates to a property that apparently served numerous roles during the early to middle part of the last century. It's a white house, with some obvious additions added on over the years, located on the northeast corner of Old Capital Trail and Wollaston Road, directly across Wollaston from the Kirkwood Highway Library. Anyone who's gone to the library over the years has gone right by it countless times but, like me, probably had no idea that the house had it's own unique history. Problem is, we're not real sure exactly what that history is.

A family member of the current owners contacted me and asked if I knew anything about the history of the property. I don't, but we're hoping someone out there does remember something. The current family came into the property in the mid-to-late 1950's, when it was purchased by Vickers (Vick) and Mary Campbell. They had previously lived on a farm near Richardson Park Elementary, but decided to buy this property instead of that farm.

What we know about the house right now is mostly in the form of stories and vague memories, but I'm hoping to find something more concrete. Taking into consideration what sometimes happens to family stories over the years, this house is said to have at one time or another operated as a general store, Sinclair gas station, truck stop/restaurant, school, and served as a polling place.

I'm continuing to look for anything I can find that might shed some light on this house, but if anyone can remember anything helpful, or if you have or have seen any items or pictures relating to it, please let us know. As with some of the stuff relating to Stanton, we're kind of stuck in a local history gap, or void, here. There's decent documentation of the 1800's, but not so much of the early 1900's. I know more about what was going on in 1870 than in 1940. Hopefully with this story and with others, we can help to fill in some of these gaps for future generations.

Edit 1/11/18: I still haven't found and good photos of the place yet, but here are a couple of aerial shots that might at least give an idea of what the area was like at the time. These were both taken in 1937. They are close-ups of pictures of the newly-opened Delaware Park. For ease of identification, I've circled the site of the store.