24. Perry Office Building - Berkeley Springs Historical Walk

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The newly renovated Perry Office Building on the northwest corner of Washington and Congress was constructed in 1948 as the town’s first self-service grocery store. In its current use, the building follows the pattern of its immediate predecessor. During the 19th century the site held a barking shed and storage as part of De Ford Tannery. In 1906 it was renovated for shops and called the “red building,” a type of shopping mall with bowling alley, shops and restaurants. It was destroyed by fire in 1917. The corner was originally owned by James Wilson, another of Pennsylvania’s Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Wilson also signed the Constitution and served as a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Further north on this block, Lynette’s Cafe is housed in the former Eichelberger residence constructed in 1915. The garage holding flea market booths behind the building was constructed in 1928. The R.A.G. Shop was built as Bowman’s Department Store in 1962. This historic corner held a shop in 1785 owned by steamboat inventor James Rumsey and his partner Nicholas Orrick.

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