Black's Store

Black's Store, also known as the Brettun & Black Museum, is a historic mercantile building in Hampton, Illinois, built in 1849. Once the largest store in Northwest Illinois, it features a three-story brick structure and was one of the first in the Midwest to have an elevator, recently restored by preservationist Ron Nelson. The store served as a riverboat stop and later as a Galena Stagecoach stop. Today, the Brettun & Black Museum recreates the original store experience, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, making it a fascinating destination for tourists and researchers alike.