In the late 1930s, James J. Gurry and his wife, Grace, opened their store located on Route 28 on the Windham-Salem line. The business remained a mainstay of the Canobie Lake area until it closed a few decades later. As seen on the signs in the above postcard, the lunch counter offered meals including grilled hamburgers, frankfurters, and Western sandwiches. Patrons could have finished off their meal with ice cream from the Jersey Ice Cream company.
The Gulf gas station located at the store was a two pump operation, and provided gas and oil to motorists. Although the gas prices are unreadable in the postcard, the price of gas would have been approximately 11 cents at the time the photograph was taken.
Below is an original ca. 1940 receipt from Gurry's Store. It looks to have been signed by James Gurry upon receipt of payment.
As noted on the receipt and the postcard image, the store also served as the Canobie Lake Post Office, of which Grace Gurry was the postmaster. She became postmaster in 1937, and remained at her post until the Canobie Lake Post Office itself closed in 1963. The post office was originally located across the street at Mason's Store, but when Franklin Roosevelt became President, his administration appointed a Democrat to take the place of the former Republican postmaster.
The Gulf gas station located at the store was a two pump operation, and provided gas and oil to motorists. Although the gas prices are unreadable in the postcard, the price of gas would have been approximately 11 cents at the time the photograph was taken.
Below is an original ca. 1940 receipt from Gurry's Store. It looks to have been signed by James Gurry upon receipt of payment.
As noted on the receipt and the postcard image, the store also served as the Canobie Lake Post Office, of which Grace Gurry was the postmaster. She became postmaster in 1937, and remained at her post until the Canobie Lake Post Office itself closed in 1963. The post office was originally located across the street at Mason's Store, but when Franklin Roosevelt became President, his administration appointed a Democrat to take the place of the former Republican postmaster.
