the tangent that wouldn't die

In which other blocks of buildings enter the picture, and nansie refuses to try to figure out what and where they all were, and when.

From the De Smet News, January 27, 1922:
Recent Fire Removed Buildings Erected in Early Days of De Smet

The recent fire in De Smet destroyed four buildings that were landmarks of the city, one of them dating back to the very early days. The history of these buildings is of interest to people who know De Smet.

The fire, which occurred the morning of Friday, December 23, entirely wiped out the Cummins barber shop, Cosy Theatre, Robinson hardware store with I.O.O.F. hall above, and practically destroyed the Storts cream station. Of these four buildings, the one occupied by W.D. Storts is the oldest, according to C.H. Tinkham, who remembers well the growth of De Smet from its earliest days. This story and a half building was erected in the summer of 1882 by Geo. Ferguson, who stocked it with dry goods and millinery. Later it was used by Wilmarth & Jewell for a grocery store. In recent years it has been owned by G. Del Vecchio, formerly of De Smet, but now of Sioux Falls. The building had fallen into a poor state. Altho not entirely destroyed by the fire its removal will follow.

The barber shop was built in 1883 by Peirson & Cooley for a meat market. It passed thru several ownerships but continued to be used as a market until recent years. For many years Chas. Rehfeld conducted the shop. Art Back bought the building several years ago.

The lot occupied by the Cozy theatre was in the early days the location of a wagon scale owned by Peirson & Cooley, but used by everybody. Chas. Rehfeld built the two story structure that was used by Frank Harthorn for a general merchandise store and the Rehfeld family lived in the rooms over the store and their market, next door. When adapted for a theatre the second floor was torn out.

Hanson & Root built the store occupied by W.M. Robinson, the Odd Fellows building the second story for a lodge hall. After Mr. Root retired from the partnership A.C. Hanson continued in the general merchandise business until Robinson company bought the store for a hardware business, W.M. Robinson taking it over on the dissolution of the firm. The hall above, known often as Society hall, was used by various lodges.

The four buildings were all of wood with metal siding. The Cozy theatre had been recently remodeled and the front stuccoed.

There were not many buildings on the street back in 1882, when the oldest of these structures was erected. Across the street, of course, was the C.H. Tinkham furniture store, the building that was torn down a year ago to make room for the new W.E. White building. Mr. Tinkham describes the other buildings as he recalls them. On the National bank corner was the little yellow building (note: this was the Ingalls building) that stood on Second street in the rear of the bank for many years and was torn down about two years ago to make room for the O'Hara building. Where the cafe and bakery is now was then a machinery lot, the business operated by the late L.E. Fellows.

Across the street, on the corner, was the wooden Fuller building now used by Geo. Mallery for an ice house. It was sold by Fullers to Geo. Bradley and used for a drug store, later moved back when the present drug store was built by Mallery & White. In the location of the Sanitary Market was Thos. Power's tailor shop. On the Sasse lot Geo. Scofield soon after this built the present Enderby shop used then for a grocery store but later moved to the south end of the street. The combined residence and shoe store of S.B. Owen, of that day, is still a shoe store and a residence, John Andrews conducting the store and Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Schultz occupying the residence. The Smith building dates back to about 1880 also, erected by Mr. Doner for a residence. On the lot where the Golden Rule stands in the early days was the little print and newspaper shop of Jake Hopp, where the News was started. Up on the corner of Third street was the Thos. Ruth bank, in a wooden structure that was later made a part of the present F.M. Andrews residence. Another building of these early days was the Couse store, which stood on the present Miller location. It was a wooden building of two stories and a half, and here Mr. and Mrs. E.H. Couse made their home for a year or so. The building is now part of the residence just south of the city plant.

Look! It's Fuller's Hardware Store, on the other side of Calumet!
- posted by pioneergirl at 11:41 PM