USA > Kansas > Smith County > Smith Center > The history of Smith Centre, Kansas, 1871-1971 > Part 6
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The Attwood family, William and Alice and Roy and Della Attwood, bought the Buchanan Store in 1916. Mr. Mackey, Margaret Clark's father, was the real estate agent. The Attwoods were in the general merchandise business; later Mrs. Attwood had a Ladies Style Shop for several years. William and Roy owned the Attwood Implement Co. Lyman Attwood, Roy's son, took over the Attwood Implement Co. but sold it to enter the insurance business.
The first Variety Store in town was owned and operated by Leonidas Grubb on south Main Street. In 1918, G. M. Stoops bought the Variety Store owned by a Mr. Cleaver. A few years later the store affiliated with A. L. Duckwall Co. and operated in the north section of the present Duckwall store. Avis Stoops Tillman resides in Smith Center.
Fred Simmons went into the Furniture - Mortuary business in 1922 in the brick building where the furniture store still operates under the Simmons name. After Fred's death the business went into the possession of Dean Windscheffel, Dale Lambert and Carroll Kirkendall.
The first beauty shop in Smith Center was started by Mrs. Mattie Rice Steele in 1924. Six months later Mrs. Fleta McNary James joined as a partner and the shop was called the F and M Beauty Shop. It was first located on the balcony of the Hammond Store, then, in the Opera House block. When Mr. Bob Steele and Mr. Melvin Morrison formed a partnership and established a drug store, the young ladies moved their shop to the balcony of that store. In 1943, they retired from the business.
Early Advertising 1873
Pugh and Axton - Contractors and Builders. Painting done to order. Orders in undertaking promptly attended to. Caskets made locally.
W. M. Garretson - New Broom Factory - Now in active operation. Broom corn or cash taken in exchange for brooms - without discount.
W. D. Jenkins, Agent - Real Estate Agency. Farms For Sale - 320 acres - 50 under cultivation - 20 acres walnut and cottonwood trees, 2 years old under good growing condition. Splendid well of water. Good dugout, stable etc. 4 miles west of town. $550 cash or livestock.
1876
J. R. Burrow, Prop. - U. S. Stage Lines. Smith Center to Red Cloud. Stage leaves Smith Center Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Make connections at Red Cloud with stage running to Hastings, St. Joe and points east. Carry passengers and express.
L. C. Uhl - Retail Dealer. Hardware, iron, steel, nails, tinware. Stirring and breaking plows. Brown's corn planter.
C.F. Wheeler -C.S. Aldrich-Stone Masons and Builders.
1888
Paul Arnold and Al Hester - Coal Dealers. Price of coal now reduced one half. Now, $5.25 per ton. Ten dollar coal thing of the past since Rock Island came.
1896
Attention Ladies! Mrs. Lester Sage is now ready to give benefit of a hair dressing and manicure parlor which she has arranged in her home south of the Court House. Business hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hair curled with a curling iron. Hair - 25¢. Manicure - 25¢.
The first mail in Smith Centre came in 1872. The first band in Smith Centre was organized in 1872.
MAIN STREET in the 1930's looking north from the bank corner.
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STALEY JONES UVERY && FEED
LIVERY BARN owned by Milo Staley and Carl Jones in 1906. This barn was located east of what is now the
Bonecutter-Hill garage on East New York St. Livery teams and vehicles are shown in the foregound.
Livery Barns Important Business in Early Days
In the early days of Smith Center, livery barns were an important business and there was never fewer than four in town. There was also a tie-barn where farmers could tie their horses for the time that they were in town. Traveling men would come to Smith Center by train and take buggies, wagons or coaches and teams from livery stables to all the outlying towns to sell their wares.
One of the first livery stables was that of J.M. Stevens. He had several teams, wagons and a coach, called "The Cannon Ball", which travelled to Gaylord each day.
The Olliff-Gatlin Livery Stable was going strong in the 1890's. They had at least 15 teams and would go any place and do anything reasonable. They usually got $3 to $4 depending on the distance they had to drive. One of their policies was to drive for the local doctors, among them Dr.'s Relihan, Jeffers, Slagle, Morrison and Watts. Gatlin and Erdman became partners when Olliff sold his shared to Erdman.
The Sargent and Timmons barn was operated about 1900. They always had a string of good teams, sometimes as many as 12 teams. They made it plain that they would go anywhere. Jule Jarvis was one of their drivers until he became sheriff and, in later years, he was Probate Judge.
Tom Wince had a large livery stable where the Christian Church now stands.
In about 1908 Jim Farris had a livery stable here. It is believe that it was a continuation of one of the existing barns of the time.
Cale Jones also had a large livery stable but it burned to the ground at about the same time that Erdman built a large tie-barn.
In 1905, Milo Staley and Carl Jones bought their barn. It was located in the same block, south of the Pioneer Office. It was a large barn with 10to 12 teams. The Wilson Furniture Store was next door and when they expanded they bought the barn. It was then that Staley and Jones bought out Peck and Agnew and they operated this livery stable for several years.
The barns faded out as cars became more common and this era is an all but forgotten dream.
The Merry-Go-Round Comes to Town
The first Merry-go-round that came to town was here a few days with a carnival that had most of its concessions on Main Street. The machine was located on vacant lots where the Smith Center Lumber Co. is now. It was a great attraction. Later, Joe Chance, father of Milo Chance, bought a merry-go-round and set it up at about the same place. Nearly all the young people and children of the town gathered there every evening. The children could ride about as long as they cared to at one time for five cents. The merry-go-round was powered by a horse and Mr. Chance changed horses often.
The Tabernacle served as a town hall, opera house, roller skating rink, dance hall and meeting place for other public gatherings.
The only sod house ever built in Smith Centre stood for 30 years on the site of the Bonecutter-Hill Garage.
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MAIN STREET in an early day. The band stand is about where the Pioneer office is today. The building across the street to the right is where the First National bank now stands. The building mentioned was the Bryan House, a hotel that burned the night the Armistice of World War 1 was signed. The building was empty. J. R. Burrow, owner of the building, was in Topeka. They wired him asking for permission to burn it. "Can't collect insurance, if 1 give my concent," he replied. A firing squad shot out the windows in unison, Next thing, the building was on fire.
Hotels
Work on the first hotel building in Smith Center townsite was begun May 10, 1872, by Watis George at the S.W. corner of Main Street and Kansas Avenue of green cottonwood from the Salem community. The Georges moved in when it was finished, kept a few roomers, and served meals prepared in a lean-to kitchen. The first sack of mail delivered to Smith Center was opened here and handed out to those who asked for it. Mr. George sold to R. H. Zimmerman two years later and in 1880 a banking firm bought the building, remodeled it and the first State Bank was begun.
Hull House, a two story building, was erected on N. Main on the corner diagonally N.W. of the first hotel. It was leased to various proprietors.
The Sherman House was built just east of what is now the First National Bank Drive-In. It was a popular place for many years. It was torn down in 1943 and had stood there seventy years.
Joshua Brandon, wife and daughter Klara served meals from their residence near the Rock Island R. R. Station when trains began running regularly. Trains sent messages ahead to ask for as many meals as were needed. It burned in 1888. The "Bucket Brigade" failed to put out the fire.
The Ohmer House, built south of the railroad tracks and west of Rock Island Station, was the largest hotel in Kansas west of St. Joseph. The Railroad owned it and leased to the Ohmers. At that time, there were five passenger trains a day stopping in Smith Center morning and evening at meal time. One side of the dining room was mirrors and buffet where fine food was preserved in chipped ice and the hot food ready to serve when the train whistle blew. It burned to the ground March 12. 1889.
The Bryan House was located in the R. K. Smith building at the corner of Main and Court Avenue West. The building was sold to J. R. Burrowin 1905. On the night of November 10, 1918, when word had come that singing of World War 1 armistice would be official next day, the streets became
crowded with people. A message was sent J. R. Burrow in Topeka asking permission to burn the old structure as sort of a celebration. The reply was, "1 cannot collect insurance if 1 consent." Soon a line of soldier boys who happened to be home, formed a firing squad and under orders from a leader shot in unison until no windows were left. Later that same night the Old Bryan Hotel burned to the ground. Men and women alike tossed their hats into the fire in joyful merriment that the war was over.
Aaron Shurtleff built a small, two-story frame building where the Center Theatre now stands on South Main in the early 1900's. Some years later it was razed and a garage building put there and operated by Geo. Hammond.
After 1889 Mr. and Mrs. Frank Maxwell furnished the brick building, originally built by M. A. Long for a Banking House and is now the Odd Fellow Hall, for a hotel. Sleeping rooms were on the second floor, the office at the corner entrance, and the dining room where Bob Van Wey has a Recreation Parlor.
Belle and Charles Erdman bought the hotel in the first block east of Main on Kansas Avenue (North) in 1919. Mrs. Erdman had operated the Shurtleff Hotel a short time before this. The Erdman Hotel was enlarged in 1930. After the death of Mr. Erdman, Mrs. Erdman operated the hotel until March of 1967 at which time it was bought by Kelly and Velma Ormsbee and named the Ormsbee Hotel. It is the only hotel in town, but we have four nice motels on "36" Highway off North Main.
Mill and Elevator
During the 1890's, as our town and surrounding county grew, it became essential to have a mill and elevator. A large number of citizens promoted the project and became the stockholders. As a result, a large building was constructed in 1898 and 1899. The Mill and Elevator was located near the new Rock Island depot. J. F. Hall, a miller, moved here from Lebanon and became the first manager. The new firm was successful and financially sound and a new tile elevator was erected in 1905. Eagle Brand flour was milled and packaged here for sale in this area.
In the next few years, the mill and elevator added the electric power plant. On March 14, 1916 the stockholders Wilson Ross, W. H. Lyon, Gus Weltmer, John Overmiller and H. G. Moberly met to reorganize as the Smith Center Cooperative Grain Co. and named a superintendent for each of the departments - the mill, the elevator and the electric power plant.
The city purchased electric power from the Mill and Elevator and in 1927 the Kansas Power began to furnish electricity to the patrons of the town.
Disaster befell the Mill and Elevator on January 7, 1937 when they were destroyed by fire, leaving only the tile and concrete walls standing. In 1937 a new elevator building was erected and ready for business on June 10. 1937. The mill part was not rebuilt and the flour milling business was discontinued. Employees at this time were Frank Johnson, Win Phetteplace, Charles Rogers, Donald Rogers, Fred Wolverton and Oren Flint.
In 1954 a new concrete elevator was built to provide storage of the abundant wheat crops. The present Smith Center Co-op Mill and Elevator has a total storage capacity of 530,000 bushels. The lights on the top of the elevator, the tallest building in town, are called "Clearance Lights For Aircraft".
Managers through the years have been J. F. Hall, Harvey Pratt, George Marty, Harvey Moberly, Frank John- son, W. G. Henrichs, Oren Flint and Eddie Hall.
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Cafes
In the early days of Smith Center boarding houses provided the necessary eating establishments, prior to the opening of cafes. The first boarding houses were operated by the A. J. Watsons and the Waitus George's in 1872. During the 1890's Mrs. C. L. Livermore boarded 11 popular young bachelor businessmen at her home 1 block north of the Presbyterian church.
By 1900 U. O. Smith and Marvin Aldrich had a cafe on South Main Street. When Dr. Slagle, A.M. Rinehart and A. S. Kingsbury decided to build two 2-story brick buildings on the lot, the frame cafe was moved into the street. An ad in the Pioneer read "We are out in the street but not out of business."
When Glenn Stoops was married in 1904 he owned and operated the "Red Front Cafe" on the east side of Main Street. Soon after this he sold the cafe to Alex Ogle and Mr. Ogle operated cafes, in several locations, until 1927.
Cne of the most popular cafes in Smith Center from 1921 until the late 1940's was the Bon Ton Cafe, owned and operated by Seth and Ethel Myers. In 1921 they bought a small cafe and cigar factory from Fred Wilson (Sylvia Bolton's uncle) and remodeled the building. In a letter from Dorothea Myers Thompson of Topeka she tells that the water was furnished from a cistern and put in a stone water cooler with a piece of "pond-ice" in it. She also said that the meals were 35¢ and 40¢.
Other Smith Center cafe owners were Bill Clark, Jim Nevin's Tip Ton Cafe and the Christensen Hamburger Inn.
Jim Robertson and Kenneth Tallman opened the original Center Cafe in 1929 in the building where Clint Buss has his Shoe and Plant Shop now. The Center Cafe was moved to the present location and some of the owners were Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Cummings, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Bolton and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gilpin. The Gilpins sold the cafe in 1970 to Lucille Cowan who renamed it Lucille's Diner.
Paul and Gleam Manchester moved their restaurant from Lebanon to Smith Center in 1950 and were located at the corner of Main and East Kansas. In 1954 they opened Paul's Cafe and Dining Room on Highway 36. For a time they operated both cafes but sold the downtown location in 1956. They also owned and operated the A and W Drive-In. In 1967 they sold Paul's Cafe and Dining Room to the present owners, Jerry and Joan Lee. Paul Man- chester had a restaurant license for 42 years.
In October, 1966, Elvin Lambert opened the Pizza Place, just north of the theater. Velma and Kelley Ormsbee built a new cafe, east of their hotel, and opened in August of 1967. Paul Gilpin now has a cafe on Highway 36.
For several years "Pete's Cafe" on Highway 36 was popular restaurant in Smith Center. It was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Arlie Peterson and Mr. and Mrs. Wendall Peterson. In 1969 the cafe closed and the Peterson's started the Arlwin Manufacturing Co. in the remodeled cafe building.
The Ahlborn Hardware Store was finished the latter part of 1887 and on January 2, 1888 a big dance was held there with the Stone Orchestra furnishing the music.
The Story of the Lumber Yards
In the early days of the settling ofthis area, lumber was a very scarce commodity. Housing consisted mainly of dug-outs and sod houses. What little lumber was used was hauled great distances by horse and wagon. In have heard Old Timers mention hauling from Blue Rapids and Hastings. From 1880 to 1900 the land was homesteaded fast and there was a settler on nearly every quarter section and lumber yards did a thriving business. When the railroad came through Smith Center, in 1887, the Chicago Lumber Co. under the management of C. D. Hendricks, was already established and doing a thriving business. In that same year, a Mr. Henry Cadle opened up a new yard. In 1890, El Stevens opened up a yard on the lots north of what is now the Harry Jones Tractor Sales. Later that year, the Chicago Lumber Co. bought out Mr. Stevens. The Chicago Lumber Co. was located where the Mid West Lumber Co. now stands, with offices on the east alley facing Court Street, with coal scales in the alley and coal bins where the Medical Center now stands.
By 1890 the Chicago Lumber Co. had succeeded in buying all the small yards and consolidated them all in to one. A. Haberly was brought in as manager in 1891 and had it all his own way for the balance of that decade. There being no elevators here at that time, it was only natural that he should put his coal scales to use and buy the farmer's wheat which they would scoop directly into the cars for shipping to the Kansas City market. He kept abreast of the market through the Kansas City Star (which cost the fancy price of $1.20 per year). In a year of so, there was an elevator built south of the tracks and he quit the grain business.
Quail Hunter in 1897
This item is copied from the Pioneer issued October 28. 1897. "The Sportsmen around here are none too friendly with Lee Starbuck these days. It appears that Lee has a cinch on all quails in the county and no one else can get any of them. Other crack shots will go out half a day return- ing with nothing. But Lee, along toward evening will calmly light his cob pipe, drive around town a few minutes. Then he is suddenly missing and in the course of an hour can be found over home taking 2 or 3 dozen quails cut of his buggy - and never cracking a smile either."
The Kelly Cigar Factory was operating in Smith Centre in the early 1900's.
In 1907 there were 2 Electric Movies in town.
Rollo Faulkner, a cousin of Elmer Pounds, was the first person to drown in Rock Island Lake when he was swimming with Frank Springer and John Newton.
In 1971 the two Smith Center banks had assets of more than 21 million dollars.
The first building was erected in this city of green cottonwood lumber from a sawmill near Old Salem in 1872.
Smith Centre was designated county seat in 1873 - Smith Centre got 275 votes, Cedarville got 92 votes and Gaylord got 81 votes.
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Banks
Eight different banking firms have done business in Smith Center since the founding of the town. Listed would be The Peoples Bank, Bank of Smith Center, Farmers Banking Company, Farmers and Merchants. State Exchange, Farmers State, Smith County State, and First National.
The Peoples Bank was organized in 1881 by George W. White and J. R. Burrow. Then in 1866 the First National Bank was organized, and had as the board of directors, J. R. Burrow, W. H. Nelson, J. S. McDowell, E. S. Barger, L. C. Uhl, J. N. Beacom, and E. E. Parker. The little frame one story building was replaced in 1889 with a building of brick and stone which still stands at the corner of Main and East Kansas Avenue. After occupying this building for more than forty years, the First National Bank again built a new building at the corner of Main and West Court. This bank is the oldest chartered in Smith County operating today.
The First State Bank of Bellaire merged with the First National Bank in Smith Center on July 20, 1931. Robert W. McLeod, who had been the vice-president at Bellaire, came here at that time and in 1939 was named vice-president and cashier.
The First State Bank of Athol merged with the First National Bank at Smith Center on October 5, 1933. August E. Ottomann came to Smith Center to assume the duties as assistant cashier and later became vice- president.
The First National Bank of Smith Center has had only five presidents since it was chartered in 1886. The first, J. R. Burrow, served for forty five years. Then Mac H. Hill, a vice-president, served as president from 1931 until 1939 when local men purchased his interests and those of the Burrows estate. The new directors elected A. L. Headley for president and he served from 1939 to 1964. W. G. Henrichs served as the next president having been with the bank since 1941. Russell Hill began his duties at the First National in 1942 and became presi- dent in 1967.
The First National Bank added a Motor Drive-In facility to the bank in 1962. The Motor Bank is located at the corner of Main and East Court.
The beginning of the Smith County State Bank actually was in June 1880, when N. S. Field and his son, W. S. Field of Albion, New York, organized the Smith County Bank. In 1882 John Hall and O. U. Sheldon , both also from the state of New York, purchased the entire bank stock. The building housing this bank from the first, was located at the southwest corner of Main and Kansas Avenue, a part of it having been the first building in Smith Center.
The bank owned two teams and buggies which were used in making inspections of farms for loans.
In 1887 Hall and Sheldon nationalized the bank and named it the Smith County National Bank. Levi Waite of Fort Ann, New York, replaced Hall and the institution remained under the same management until June 1899, when a charter was secured from the state and the name was changed to the Smith County State Bank.
Levi Waite became president of the bank at this time and Willis Cannon, the cashier. These two men, along with F. M. May. James D. Mollison, and David M. Relihan,
were the original stockholders. In reality the present State Bank had its origin in 1880, but technically the charter was granted in June 1899.
In. 1897 a large brick two story building was built at the same location, and the old building was moved.
The Smith County State Bank was sold in 1911 to C. A. Garrison and Parm A. Moyers, from Hill City. These men operated the bank until March 1st, 1922 when they sold their interests to Andrew Lull of Lebanon. He assumed the responsibilities of president of the bank and coming with him to take part in its management was his son, Floyd, and son-in-law, Claude Diehl.
In January, 1924 the State Bank moved into their new building at the corner of Main and East Court.
Since 1922, when the Lulls purchased controlling interest of the Smith County State Bank, three generations of the Lull family have been named as president; Andrew Lull from 1922 to 1941, his son, Floyd E. Lull from 1941 to 1959, and Linton Lull, who became president January 1, 1959.
Both banks have remodeled extensively in recent years and are among the finest establishments of their kind in this section of Kansas.
The Farmers State Bank of Smith Center was chartered in 1918, with Charles H. Sargent as president. In 1922 a Kansas City firm bought controlling interest and Phillip Albrecht was named president. On November 1, 1923 the doors of the Farmers State Bank were closed.
In May 1886, Reid Brothers had a money loaning in- stitution which was named the Bank of Smith Center. Alex Halter was president in 1888 and S. M. Wilcox, cashier. This bank became known as the Farmers and Merchants Bank in 1890 with Henry Stone as president.
Another bank started business in Smith Center March 20, 1890 and was named the State Exchange Bank. The first president's name was Huddleston with E. E. Dugan as cashier. Then L. J. Dunn was President and C. S. Barrett, cashier, This bank closed in 1892.
MAIN STREET in 1937. Note tell-tale models of cars parked near the Pioneer corner.
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Smith Center's Only Bank Robbery
Three men armed with sub-machine guns robbed the First National Bank in Smith Center on Friday, February 1, 1935. They entered the bank at about 3:00 P. M. and yelled "This is a hold-up, get your hands up". The patrons were herded into a corner of the room. Two of the robbers held guns on everyone and the third robber gathered up the currency. Then, they took the bank force with them as they escaped. One of the employees had stepped on a silent alarm which notified the State Bank across the street. The hostages were Mac Hill, R. W. McLeod, A. E. Otteman, Alta Brown Hamlin, Mildred Ford Cook and Gerald Conn.
The girls were ordered inside the car and the four men of the bank rode on the running boards. The bandits drove south down Main Street but their direction was changed by a train blocking the street so they turned around, drove back through town and headed east. They released the men near the Rock Island Lake Dam. They drove cast to Sheddy Road and turned north where they could not pass a house being moved down the road. The house was being moved by Leonard and Arlie Peterson. Arlie said that the robbers called for them to move the house off the road or they would "blow their heads off" and showed the Peterson brothers their guns. The building was soon moved out of the way.
The girls were released a little further down the road and Roy Bolton, who was following the bandit car, picked them up.
The robbers got $2,500 and Mac Hill's diamond ring. Two of the robbers were caught and imprisoned but the third one has never been apprehended.
One amusing recollection of the robbery was that of Mrs. Roy Bolton. She was on her way into the bank just as the robbers were escaping with their hostages. Mrs. Bolton said she beat a hasty retreat to their store. She frantically told her husband, Roy, that the bank was being robbed; he called the sheriff who had been notified by the State Bank,
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