Miriam Green Craft Shop

In March, 1968, the Friends of Rocheport purchased a building on Central Street for use as a craft shop. The building is known as the Miriam Green Craft Shop in memory of Mrs. Russell Green, former vice president of the Friends of Rocheport, who conceived the idea for the shop in 1967.

During the 1890s members of the Barth family owned the site. Old photographs show at least three stores along this street, one of them being the Barth store. The buildings were destroyed by fire in 1892. Albert Ward purchased the site in 1904 and constructed the present building, probably with brick from the older buildings. Ward operated a farm produce store in the building until 1916 and then sold it to W. E. McGruder who used it as a poultry house for a number of years.

In 1922, the building was vacant. Grover C. Young, cashier of the former Rocheport Bank, states that after another disastrous fire in that year, the bank was moved into this building during the summer and the employees almost smothered to death. In 1934, McGruder sold the building to Mrs. Annie Bysfield. Fred Rapp purchased it in 1947 and resided there until his death in 1967. From the Rapp estate and through the consideration of Mr. and Mrs., Clifford Wells, the Friends of Rocheport purchased the building.

Today local artist Gloria Gaus operates Art Off the Trail gallery and gift shop in the building.