Before The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a year old, the store of Newel K. Whitney in Kirtland, Ohio, began playing an important role in its history. Bishop Whitney (the second man to be called as a bishop in the young church), ran a successful merchandising business and operated the town’s post office from the store.
After the majority of the Saints left Kirtland, the store was owned by various individuals and was used for a number of purposes. It was purchased from Horatio "Harkey" Kile by Latter-day Saint Wilford C. Wood on Dec. 19, 1965.
Following Wood’s passing away in 1968 his wife, Lillian, held title to the store until 1979. On Oct. 16 of that year, President Gordon B. Hinckley formally received title to the Whitney store from Lillian Wood. With President Hinckley presiding, the structure was dedicated on Aug. 25, 1984, by President Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
In 1988, U. S. President Ronald Reagan awarded the LDS Church the President’s Historic Preservation Award for its efforts in restoring the structure.