You are at the corner of California and Main streets. At the
southeast corner was the Shelton General Store and Post Office,
the first general store in Fair Oaks built in 1895. The store
lasted until the early 1920’s when it burned down. The Sheltons
built a home on the property after the fire, situated further
back on the lot. The Post Office moved to California Ave.
across from Plaza Park.
From here down Main Street to the hotel was the first Fair Oaks
mercantile area. As you walk down to the hotel, several blocks
away, you can envision the Ling store on your right, later a
shoe repair and barber shop, the McMurray boarding house further
down on the right and the blacksmith shop on the left. All of
these businesses were abandoned when the current Fair Oaks Village
was formed around the Murphy Building on Fair Oaks Blvd in 1901.
The reason for the relocation was the hilly terrain on Main Street
where wagons sunk to their axles in the mud in the winter.
(all roads were unpaved).