Harkin's General Store


Harkin's General Store is all that remains of West Newton, in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. Alexander Harkin opened the store as combination general store and post office in 1867 in the growing town of West Newton. The town fell into decline after four years of locust swarms devastated southern Minnesota, and the railroad extended away from West Newton. The store finally closed its doors in 1901.
Most of the stock was left when the store was closed and abandoned, and remains today as a museum managed by the Nicollet County Historical Society in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society.