A landmark of rural Rutherford County is gone. Fire destroyed the historic Fosterville store on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, according to Rutherford County Fire & Rescue. No injuries were reported.
What Happened
Rutherford County Fire & Rescue was called to the building on Fosterville Road around 6 p.m. Fire Chief Larry Farley told WGNS that the first units to arrive "found fire throughout the building," and that the fire had also spread into a nearby field and barn.
Crews kept the fire from spreading beyond the immediate area, but the store was a total loss. Firefighters worked the scene for more than four hours. The county Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause, which is routine for a fire of this size.
Where Is Fosterville?
Fosterville is a small community in southern Rutherford County, roughly midway between Murfreesboro and Shelbyville.
According to WGNS, the community was incorporated in 1832 and grew after the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway arrived about two decades later. It is named for Samuel Foster, a rail agent and stagecoach station keeper, whose father, John Foster, built the first home and trading post in the area in 1820.
A Store That Outlived Its Cash Register
Murfreesboro.com reports that the store building dated to the 1920s and sold groceries and supplies for about 50 years before closing as a business in 1972. Neighbors kept coming anyway. For decades afterward, people gathered there to play cards, work jigsaw puzzles and catch up, making it one of the community's main gathering places long after it stopped selling anything.
For more on the county's past, see OnlyInMurfreesboro's Murfreesboro history guide, the Stones River Battlefield and Cannonsburgh Village, where historic buildings from around Rutherford County have been preserved. More county news is on the Rutherford County page.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Fosterville store fire happen?
The fire was reported around 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.
Was anyone hurt in the Fosterville store fire?
No injuries were reported.
What caused the Fosterville store fire?
The cause has not been announced. The Rutherford County Fire Marshal's Office is investigating.
How old was the Fosterville store?
Murfreesboro.com reports the building dated to the 1920s. It closed as a store in 1972 but remained a community gathering place.
Sources: WGNS, Rutherford Source and Murfreesboro.com.
*Photo: Rutherford County Fire & Rescue.*