Gridley Store

The Gridley Store is a single-story granite building constructed in Austin, Nevada in 1863 and now operates as a museum. Its sturdy stone walls and simple design reflect construction methods of the era, and it houses displays about Civil War history and the community's past.

Built in 1863, the granite store is tied to Reuel Colt Gridley, who in 1864 lost a bet and carried a 50-pound sack of flour through Austin. The sack was sold and resold as a benefit for the U.S. Sanitary Commission, raising over $250,000 in a campaign supported by Mark Twain.

The building is also known as the Gridley & Hobart Store and as the Gridley Store Museum. In 2003 it was operated as a museum by the Austin Historical Society, which holds displays inside the granite walls.

The store is located on Water Street in Austin and is operated as a museum by the Austin Historical Society, offering visitors the chance to walk through and view its contents. The building sits on a quiet street in the heart of the town's historic district, within walking distance of other sites.

The 1864 flour-sack campaign spread from Austin across Nevada and then to the East, backed by Mark Twain, and raised over US$250,000 for the U.S. Sanitary Commission. The building's present exterior dates from a renovation around 1985, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.