Deersville General Store has been a big part of the Harrison County community since 1898. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

By Ken Drenten

For a small town in eastern Ohio, Deersville packs in a lot of ambience and flavor.

Deersville General Store is the kind of place that everyone knows about in the local area.

Established in 1898 in a building that was once a church before that, the general store is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The store, 212 W. Main St., Deersville, retains its original wood floors, with antiques lining the walls and in nooks and corners of the store.

Click on the video link above to see more about Deersville General Store. If the link does not appear or operate, please use this — https://youtu.be/0J45EICt9Ww

The store’s family-recipe ice cream is made on an ice cream machine that dates back to 1942, used on a World War II aircraft carrier. Owners Kurt and Laura Peres make ice cream in 3-gallon batches that are placed in freezers for several days before serving.

From 2018 to 2025, the store sold 48,240 gallons of ice cream; so far in 2026, the store has produced 5,585 gallons. Flavors include caramel apple, butter pecan, pumpkin cheesecake, toffee, peach, cherry, chocolate and vanilla, but buttercrunch and black raspberry are favorites among customers. Milkshakes, root beer floats and hot fudge sundaes are also offered.

The store also serves pizza, hot sandwiches, steakburgers, hotdogs, sloppy joes and much more. A true one-stop shop, the store carries live bait, camping supplies, housewares, and convenience store items. A 1960s-era gasoline pump out front still works to dispense both gasoline and diesel. A Sunday dinner special with ribs, brisket, chicken, pork chops, lasagna and more is offered.

Deersville General Store has sold thousands of gallons of ice cream to customers. (Credit: Ken Drenten)

One customer described Deersville General Store as “a place to visit with people, featuring a friendly and kind staff who make one feel like they are eating at home.” There is both indoor and outdoor seating available.

Find Deersville General Store on Facebook.

Deersville, located in Harrison County near Tappan Lake, was established in 1815 and is a village of not much more than 70 or 80 people.

The community reached its peak in the years before the Civil War when it was a stop on the stagecoach route between Wheeling and Wooster.

Songwriter Alexander Auld (1816-1898), whose songbooks sold about 700,000 copies before the days of recorded music, lived near the community. His most famous song was “The Hills of Ohio,” which has been considered from time to time as a candidate for Ohio’s state song. Other prominent residents included Major Gen. Harry F. Hazlett, the second Harrison County native to reach the rank of major general; George A. Custer was the first.

Deersville was also known for its schools, library, and churches, as well as its involvement in the prohibition and anti-slavery movements.

Near the village is the Moravian Trail, a state scenic byway. This ridge road west from Cadiz through Deersville to the Tuscarawas Valley is known locally as the Moravian Trail. Originally an Indian path, it became an important trail for the frontiersmen and soldiers.

The men who participated in the infamous Gnadenhutten Massacre, March 8, 1782, used this trail. In June 1782, part of Col. William Crawford’s defeated army fled eastward from pursuing Delawares along this road. Both of these parties were led by Col. David Williamson, and the entire route from the Ohio River to the Tuscarawas River is known in history as Williamson’s Trail.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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