Windham had three very active garden clubs in 1976, as described in the booklet produced by the town in honor of the country’s 200th birthday: Cross Roads, Land O’ Lakes and Rockameecook. Garden clubs provided flowers and plantings for public buildings and churches, and held flower shows with various themes. Dozens of people belonged to these neighborhood groups.

The Cross Roads Garden Club originally met at the home of its founder, Asenath Dyer, at the corner of Albion and Windham Center roads. Members learned about landscaping, flower arranging and soil conservation and held competitions and exhibitions at local agricultural fairs. They also delivered flowers, plants and evergreens to shut-ins and nursing homes. A silver tea was held annually at the Parson Smith House.

There were so many members that it became difficult to find a place to meet, but in 1956 this problem was solved. An old one-story building and land at the crossroads of Windham Center Road and Route 202 became available. In November 1956, brothers William C. Hawkes of Windham and Philip Hawkes, a grocer in Gorham, deeded the property to the Cross Roads Garden Club, as a memorial building to be known as “The Old Grocery,” and so it remains to this day.

The pre-1820 building will have a new home in the future, as the current owner, Windham Historical Society plans to move it to its Village Green property behind the society’s headquarters. Fundraising for the project is ongoing. To find out more about The Old Grocery, go to windhamhistorical.org.

The Old Grocery at Windham Center Road and Route 302.