The Atwood Store
The Atwood Store was one of Chatham’s earliest markets. Levi Atwood opened the business in 1849 near the corner of Atwood Street, now Stage Harbor Road, and Cedar Street. It was later moved to Main Street, where it remained in operation until the Atwood family sold it in 1965.
Like many 19th-century general stores, the Atwood Store carried a wide assortment of merchandise. Its shelves held groceries, household supplies, medicines, dry goods, cigars, tobacco and other necessities. Customers came not only to purchase provisions but also to exchange news and participate in the daily life of the community.
Levi Atwood was born in Chatham in 1824. He began his working life as a teacher but resigned because of poor health and opened his store at the age of 25. In addition to operating the business, he served Chatham in several public positions, including selectman, assessor and member of the school committee.
During the 1850s, the store began using a horse-drawn sleigh to deliver provisions during the winter. Painted dark green and marked “Atwood Store” and “Groceries” in gold lettering, it had a long open bed that could accommodate large or unusually shaped loads. Its iron runners curved upward at the front to help it travel across snow-covered roads.
The sleigh continued to be used into the early 20th century. For Chatham residents waiting at home during the winter, its arrival brought groceries and household necessities along with news from the village.
After the store closed, the sleigh was largely forgotten. It was rediscovered in the basement of the Eldredge Garage when that building was demolished in March 2017. Approximately 150 years old, it was restored and donated to the Atwood Museum, preserving an object closely connected to more than a century of Chatham’s commercial and community life.
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