Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

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Shaw's Block. (Submitted by Anamosa Historical
Society)
Scott and Tucker.
William T. Shaw completed his large building on
Main and Huber. called the Shaw Block. in 1872. It cost
825.000. In addition. his new home. locally known as
Shaw's Mansion (now owned by State Representative
Andy McKean). was nearing completion.
In 1872. after a two-year battle. it was learned that
the Iowa State Penitentiary would be located here.
originally called the branch of the one at Ft. Madison.
(More of this may be found in another section of this
book.)
Frank Fisher erected a brick store nearly opposite the
Congregational Church in 1872. at a price of 84.900.
The Tice & Atkinson wagon shop on the corner of Main
and Davis Street. owned by William T. Shaw. was
completed. which cost 86.000. This building was torn
down and replaced by the Frazer Garage in 1929. Also.
in 1872. the building on the northwest corner of Main
and North Gamavillo was built by Huggins & Belknap
for $8.000. This was called the most desirable lot in
town (last housed Bill's Pizza Parlor). The M.F. Rick's
Brewery was built for 84.500: the home on South Ford
street built for Thomas E. Booth (now occupied by the
Glenn McLaughlin family) was completed: the Watters
Brothers meat market (where the Town Tap is now)
was also finished. which cost 83.500. A “handsome
curved sign bearing the word. ARCADE. was mounted
on to the brick blocks east of the Kinert_.House (later the
Easterly Hotel). The practice. at the time. was to name
the buildings. called ‘blocks’ (blocks referring to one
building. as opposed to a city block).
The double brick blocks. east of the Union Block on
the corner of Main and Ford. were built in 1875.
(Several more of these stores in the area were also built
at this time. after the fire.) Scott purchased one of them
and A.N. Dennison the other.
In 1879. what was later referred to as the Keefe
building. was erected on the comer of Main and
Cleveland. This later housed the M. Sullivan grocery
store. the Journal Newspaper and a Catholic private
school. The Keefe family lived upstairs for a time and.
in 1898. the Frank Fisher Hamess Shop was located
adjoining. on an ell. This building was taken down and
the Ford Garage was located on this site in I924. The
Ford Garage was in turn taken down when the Citizens
Savings Bank built their Drive-In facility in 1963.
which presently occupies this site.
In 1878 D.H. Kelly fitted up a bath house in the rear of
his barber shop. Faucets supplied hot and cold running
water.
That year. Dr. Gawley was building his office on the
site which was to become the Westphal Super Market
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A view of the Gawley Building. just before it was
torn down to make space for Westphal‘s Super
Market. (Journal-Eureka photo)
Residence of T.E. Booth. now the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Glen McLaughlin. (Photo by Miller)
and presently the Jack 8: Jill Grocery with T & D
Meat Market.
The farmers who needed to come into town in
January 1878. to carry on their business affairs. were
forced to ride their horses. Due to the deep mud. this
was nearly the only way to get there. Someone wanting
to know. counted 62 saddle horses and two saddle
mules one Saturday on Main Street at one time. In
1880 the Shaw Schoonover Bank and office building on
the northwest comer of Main and Huber streets was
erected. The next year the four buildings west ofit were
completed. The upper story was constructed for
Ercanbrack and Remley. The stone for this building