1800-1899 Life In Columbus/Bartholomew County

[RER]

Long Gone Christian Church (was located behind old long gone library) Picture Before 1895
Location Between 5th & 6th Street on Present Lafayette Street
Columbus, Indiana

Comment: Lafayette is the former named Mechanic Street as reflected in the above word caption.




Source: Souvenir and official program: 19th annual encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Indiana and auxiliary societies, Columbus, In., May 17-20, 1898 No copyrights apply because of the age of the picture

[RER]

Columbus Arthur Overstreet Home Before 1895
Columbus, Indiana




Source: Souvenir and official program: 19th annual encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Indiana and auxiliary societies, Columbus, In., May 17-20, 1898 No copyrights apply because of the age of the picture.

[RER]

J. G. Schwartzkopf & Son Business 1890s
3rd Street
Columbus, Indiana

Comment: J.G. Schwartzkopf owned the large home on Tipton Mound.




Source: Souvenir and official program: 19th annual encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Indiana and auxiliary societies, Columbus, In., May 17-20, 1898 No copyrights apply because of the age of the picture.

[RER]

Drybread's Mills 1890s
Taylorsville, Indiana



Seneca S. Drybread

Brief: Mr. Drybread was born in Nineveh Township in 1848. He lived on a farm for 21 years and then moved to California. He returned to Columbus and engaged in the dry goods business with J. F. Snyder for another 7 years. At the end of that time he bought the flour mill known as Drybread Mill, where he made the trade name Silver Moon Flour.




Source: Souvenir and official program: 19th annual encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Indiana and auxiliary societies, Columbus, In., May 17-20, 1898 No copyrights apply because of the age of the picture.

[RER]

Columbus Post Office Before 1895
Location 6th & Washington Streets
Columbus, Indiana

Brief: The Post Office was located as stated above. The building was leased by the U.S. Government from Francis T. Crump. The office was 2nd Class and had free delivery. Revenue was from $13,000 -$15,000 per years. The Postmaster was Mr. W. A. Stevens and his assistant was Mr. Joseph Weller. There were 3 clerks, 5 carriers, and 2 substitute carriers.

Comment: Compare the two pictures and see the results.

1890s

Here is a view during 1950 of the same building:

1950

Notice the doorway and windows are the same. So, this building is still standing today. The red and teal markings indicate the same structure on 6th Street West side of Washington Street.


Source: Souvenir and official program: 19th annual encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Indiana and auxiliary societies, Columbus, In., May 17-20, 1898 No copyrights apply because of the age of the picture. The partial picture is from the Time/Life 1950 pictures.

[Ricky_Berkey]

It's still standing and was recently refurbished with upscale loft condos on the second floor and the new location of Viewpoint Books on the corner. For a long time that space was Nelsons Christian Bookstore and was Indiana Gas prior to that.

Nov 2, 2009 10:30:40 GMT -5 RER said:

Columbus Post Office Before 1895
Location 6th & Washington Streets
Columbus, Indiana

Comment: Compare the two pictures and see the results.

Notice the doorway and windows are the same. So, this building is still standing today. The red and teal markings indicate the same structure on 6th Street West side of Washington Street.

[RER]

Interesting Flow Of History First National Bank 1865-1875
Corner of 4th & Washington Streets (after two previous moves)
Columbus, Indiana

Item: These were the "Horse & Buggy Days" and street lighting was gas instead of electrical.






Source: Souvenir and official program: 19th annual encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Indiana and auxiliary societies, Columbus, In., May 17-20, 1898 No copyrights apply because of the age of the picture.

[RER]

Guess The Pictured Building In Columbus Indiana During 1890s Guess Results Below

This building was constructed during 1873 and it was a very busy corner and still is today. In this picture the Evening Republican newspaper had a printing office on the lower floor by the sign shown. Also, there is a barber shop pole in the center ground area, meaning a men's barber shop, behind it. I am sure many board members will guess this picture and location correctly.

I know the answer and after you all guess several times I will post the answer with a picture that was taken about 80 years later from the construction date of this building.
________________________________________

FINAL GUESS UPDATE & RESULTS:

You guys and ladies are really good and you are right. My brother guessed it wrong, but he made a good effort in email.

1950s Picture



Nanc, Geroge, David, Doc Wendy, Gregg, Ricky, Babs and Richard ........I know you have to get this one right. Sit back and eat your popcorn and have a coke on this one.

[Gregg]

Bob,
I guess that's the building that stood just north of the Smith Jewelry building on the NE corner of 5th and Washington.

[docwendy]

I am learning a lot about the Grand Army of the Republic and about Isham Keith for whom the Columbus GAR post was named in 1880! Looking at the later photos of the GAR post at 3rd and Washington, the building doesn't really look the same although that was going to be my first and perhaps most obvious guess. The Crump, the Opera House, and Keith's theaters would be close I think, if my memory serves me. Wish I could hop in the car and go look!

[BobLane]

My guess is fifth & Wash. before the triangle diamond store was built. And I remember a popcorn stand there, I think. Bob Lane

[nancs]

My guess agrees with Bob Lane's, believing it to be the NE corner of 5th/Washington, and for a period of time in 'my day' there was nothing on the corner, and later on the Smith Jewelry Store and the popcorn place. Think on the far left that building might have housed a Hoosier Market------------

Nanc

[RER]

You folks are very good at guessing. Go back to the original post of mine and you will see the answer comparision. Thanks for supporting the "Guess the Picture" !!!!!!!

Bob

[David Sechrest]

Bob, thanks for posting those images from the 1898 GAR Souvenir Booklet. That's one that I hope someday to add to my collection.

The old First National Bank building on the southeast corner of 4th and Washington has definitely gone through some serious renovation and the date on the top of the building (today) says 1865. I always thought that was when the original building was built, but that doesn't seem to be the case at all.

Interesting...

[Ricky_Berkey]

The GAR book was reprinted in 1980 so there are a few affordable copies floating around although probably hard to find.

Nov 3, 2009 1:06:59 GMT -5 David Sechrest said:

Bob, thanks for posting those images from the 1898 GAR Souvenir Booklet. That's one that I hope someday to add to my collection.

[Babs]

I was a bit busy yesterday but did take the time to read this post and I came up with the same answer. It seemed to me that it had to be that very corner...Fifth and Washington Street....where the popcorn stand once stood...but is now Indiana Bank and Trust (once Home Federal). Looked all too familiar to me but like I said just too many other irons in the fire yesterday for me to take the time to respond. Bob hit the nail on the head that some of us who grew up here should know and I think most did!

Good to be back home after our "recent travels". No matter where we go or what wonderful sights we see, it is always great to come back home to Indiana. I love to travel and see all the beautiful things but there is just something about returning home and seeing all the plowed fields, stretching as far as the eye can see, that makes one proud to be a "Hoosier"!

[RER]

Drug Stores Of The 1890s Columbus Indiana
Ernst Stahlhuth & Company (Druggists)
Corner 5th & Washington Street

Comment: Many German descent settlers were business men downtown Columbus and Bartholomew County. They worked hard to establish the future of Columbus and its quality of life, and providing jobs. Note, the German words at the bottom of the this advertisement. Many drug stores had lunch counters and Hooks Drugs store over the period of time had a drug store on the corners on Washington Street.





Source: Souvenir and official program: 19th annual encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Indiana and auxiliary societies, Columbus, In., May 17-20, 1898 No copyrights apply because of the age of the picture and booklet.

[RER]

Masonic Temple Building During The 1890s
Two German Settlers' Stores "The L. Rosenburg Co. and HUB Bowlen & Fregenbaum Shoe Store
Washinton Street (east side)
Columbus, Indiana

Brief: The L. Rosenburg & Co. store sold one price clothing. The HUB was a shoe store. Both stores were located on the bottom floor of the Masonic Lodge building.






Source: Souvenir and official program: 19th annual encampment, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Indiana and auxiliary societies, Columbus, In., May 17-20, 1898 No copyrights apply because of the age of the picture and booklet.

[RER]

William Brockman Home 1890s
3rd Street (house recently torn down)
Columbus, Indiana

Brief: Mr. William Brockman was born in 1837 and past away during 1911. He and a man name Tompkins had a construction firm located at 3rd and Pearl Street during his lifetime. The company name was Brockman & Tompkins Company. He and two other gentleman built several brick buildings in downtown Columbus, including the old City Hall still standing at the corner of Franklin and 5th Street. The three gentleman's names involved with the old City Hall building are: Brockman, Tompkins and Louden.

Mr. Brockman was instrumental in starting the Garland Brook Cemetery during his lifetime. The farm land was bought from a farmer, including "Nancs" great grandfather, S. Webber Smith. Mr. Smith sold a portion of his farm, 6 acres to start the graveyard. Mr. Brockman was also the treasurer of the Garland Brook Cemetery during those days.

NOTE: Additional Brockman family companies are shown on page 18 of this 1880s thread.



The Brockman family also built the Zararako Brothers housed building as shown below (assumed father & brother involved also). Mr. Frank P. Brockman on the name of the building was William Brockman's brother.




Note: All of this information has been confirmed by a family member. The sale of the farm land to Garland Brook has also been confirmed through "Nanc" of this board membership..

[RER]

An 1895 Picture From John V. Storey's Yard
5th & Franklin Streets
Columbus, Indiana

This picture is of the old City Hall just after construction completion. In this picture it still wasn't occupied. Notice from the yard of John V. Storey the beautiful, decorative iron fence. It seems most homes of beauty in those years had the Iron fences.

The present Columbus visitor reception center is the old John V. Storey home of the past. The fence has been long gone and I don't remember the fence walking to Lincoln School in the 1940s or even when the building was the Columbus Boys Club.

Construction City Hall By: Brockman, Tompkins and Louden