SAND LAKE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

A Very Sweet History

Gold Award Project of Girl Scout Troop 1181

In the early 1900s, our dear town of Sand Lake was a busy little village. It was full of the same families that have been here for generations, maybe even your own relatives, perhaps? Many of these townspeople could be found doing most of their shopping not at Miller's (because it didn't exist back then), but at A.E. Horton's Grocery Store, owned by the late Albert Eugene Horton, later Nash's and the Sand Lake Post Office, and now Hidden Garden. [NOTE: "Hidden Garden" has moved to Averill Park village and is known as "Flowers in the Park"; currently (2013) "Park Place," a consignment shop, occupies the storefront.]

A.E. Horton's store

Mr. Horton lived across from his store, on Taborton Road with his wife Aurillia. However, after his death, Aurillia's brother James Cotton came to live in the Horton residence, as his wife Alice had recently passed away as well.

Around the year 1915, Mr. Cotton opened an ice-cream parlor next to his sister's house. He later sold candy there too. Cotton's store was famous to the children who would run over and wait in line for penny candy while their parents bought groceries across the street.

Girl Scout Troop 1181 was inspired by the little building that was once this candy store, which is why we wanted to bring back the nostalgia of our historic small town. A troop of four girls achieved a beautifully restored house and our Gold Award as a result, with a great deal of support from organizations and dedicated members of this town.Think of the goodies sold in James Cotton's store, and consider the reward of knowing that you helped bring back the sweet memories of Sand Lake's past!

to this!

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