"Ferns Country Store continues the tradition of there being a country store on this very site since 1844."

Compiled by Ellen Miller
Edited by Larry Bearfield

(The information compiled here was gleaned in general from Carlisle: Its History and Heritage by Ruth Wilkins, published by the Carlisle Historical Society, Inc. in 1976. The book is available for purchase at Ferns Country Store.)

Between 1844-1867 Artemis Parker, "kept store" in Parker's Hall in the village center at the corner of Bedford and Lowell Roads which also included a tavern. Mr. Parker also served as Postmaster during those years. In approximately 1870, the Parker store buildings were bought by A.D. Boynton; In Spring 1870, Sidney Bull bought the store and became Postmaster. (This store is the one frequently pictured, it had two floors including a public hall, a shed, an ice house, an ell, and even an Armory. See Wilkins, p. 233, for description) Bull's brother John joined him and store became known as S.A. and J.E. Bull, or the Bull Brothers Store (actual years are unknown) Bull Brothers Store burned on Feb. 8, 1879. They moved their store to the Coombs house on the corner of School Street and Bedford Road until the store was rebuilt and again ready for business six months later in August 1879. By 1885, Warren B. Chamberlin joined the Bulls, and the store was called Bull and Chamberlin. In September 1892, both Bull brothers sold their interest in the store to Warren Chamberlin and his brother Daniel Lang Chamberlin. The store then was called W.B. and D.L. Chamberlin. D.L. Chamberlin and family lived across the street in the Wheat Tavern. In 1898, Warren B. Chamberlin sold his interest in the store to Lars Anderson; then the store was called Chamberlin and Anderson. The post office was still in the store and a pay telephone was added in 1895. Warren B. Chamberlin bought out Lars Anderson's interest and the Chamberlin brothers ran the store until 1903. In 1908, Daniel Lang Chamberlin bought out his brother's interest in the store and continued operating it. After cars arrived in Carlisle, business dropped off and Chamberlin left the location in 1915 and opened a smaller store in the Coombs building. In about 1926, he moved his store to his barn on Lowell Road, next to the Wheat Tavern (now Rollins Insurance and Barrett Real Estate across the street from Ferns Country Store). That store became the Red & White, which he continued to run (and serve as Postmaster) until he died in January 1940. The Red & White was later sold to Roy V. Cann. Meanwhile, back at the Ferns location, James Houlton ran the store (called Carlisle Cash Store) there vacated by D.L. Chamberlin, until the store burned to the ground on May 27, 1925 (the fire threatened the entire center and damaged surrounding houses). The Houltons left town and there was no building on the site until 1928, when Charles Dunton of Bedford built the present structure. He and his wife lived upstairs and ran a lunchroom and ice cream parlor downstairs, and operated the gas station. In 1930, Fred & Elizabeth Daisy came to town and bought the Dunton property. They ran a lunchroom and Fred Daisy became Postmaster after Lang Chamberlin's death. It's unclear when the lunchroom became a store. Fred & Elizabeth Daisy lived upstairs where they raised their three children. Daughter Barbara Daisy Culkins subsequently raised her eight children upstairs, still resides in the apartment and still works for the store on Sunday afternoons! The Post Office used to be located on the Bedford Road end of the building until 1948. According to Mrs. Wilkins' book (p. 286), the following people operated the store after Fred & Elizabeth Daisy: George E. Streeter, Watson MacCleery, Mike & Matilda Mandreoli, Frank Viscariello, Alma Fortunato and Mr. & Mrs. Terrence D. Bracken. Bob Lockhart ran the Carlisle Superette which became Daisy's Market when Alice Daisy and her sons, Jonathan and Louis took over in 1992. For several years, prior to 1992, a full service bank was located on the Bedford Road end of the building where the Post Office used to be. Indeed, if you look outside on the corner of the building you'll still see the night deposit box! In December 2003, the business was acquired by Carlisle Center Ventures, LLC led by residents Larry Bearfield and his wife Robin Emerson. On January 10, 2004 it reopened under the name Ferns Country Store.

For Further References:
See articles on the stores in the center written by Ellen Miller that appeared in The Carlisle Mosquito, the Town's weekly newspaper. Go to www.carlislemosquito.org, click on Archives, key in Carlisle Stores or Daisys.