In the video above, Herman Rademacher talks about the Hopler building and the murder that took place there. The Hopler building is located across Hillside from the Publick House. Gilbert Y. Hopler was killed in his grocery store on February 26, 1938. After the murder, Hopler’s daughter and her family (the Mack family) moved into the house next door.

The building later housed the Post Office, and the Chester Library was located behind the Post Office. It also was Mack’s Army Navy Store and an antique store.

The image shown above is of the front of Hopler’s Store. It is a two-and-a-half story building with a covered porch running along the entire front side. Two windows above the porch are bay windows, and there are many windows along the side of the building. Tall, leafy and evergreen trees are shown on either side of the building. There is a wide dirt road approaching the building. Two chimneys can be seen on the roof.

Video transcription PDF available here: Hopler Building and Murder Transcript.

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Exhibit Publication Date: Published in 2015. ©Copyright Chester Public Library