West First Street, 1910

From the Clay County Courier:

"The era is around 1910 and the view is of First Street, from Elm Stree [sic], North.  Staley Drug Store has been replaced by The Crystal, Woods occupies the space that was held down by Langdon's restaurant and bowling alley.  The sheet iron building to the North is next and the one-story shack that housed Martin Fowler's restaurant is now part of Rorex Store.  The Rorex market occupies the brick building to the North and the Midwest Auto Company has replaced the St. James Hotel."

Submitted by Danny Moore

"Believed to be from 1910 era…

"It was a delight one evening last week to have a friend stop by to show me, then agree to share his latest old-timer picture with all Courier readers.  It originally came to a friend in Corning from Marty Fowler, Kennett, Missouri, son of Lucien Fowler and grandson of Martin Fowler, a First Street merchant in Corning for many yaers.  Marty acquired a copy of the keepsake picture from the Internet and believes it shows a train as it travels through Corning around 1910.  Since that was just shy of 100 years ago, there is no one around that can see well enough or can remember First Street when [sic] it looked like in the picture.  The street marker says “West First Street” but we can’t turn it around to see what is on the back side.  A call would be appreciated from anyone who knows, or thinks they know, identity of business houses in background.  The largest building is thought to be the old Woods and Ainley Store Building, but no one is sure, or it could be the Herbert Good store building. – mv"

"Corning, 1910...

"This 1910 photograph shows what the meary [sic] traveler saw around 1910 as he alighted from the Iron Mountain train and faced westward for his first good look at his new home.  Across a muddy street stretched southward a row of wooden buildings that bespoke the primitive Architecture of the village.  At the extreme right, a sheet iron store building housed the Joseph Steinberg Mercantile and the Canfield tool shop.  Next, a two story establishment was the J. O. Langdon Restaurant, flanked by the lean to [sic] one-story bowling alley.  On the corner, as it has been since the beginning of the town, the Staley Drug Store.

"Across Elm is the Ben Levit store and next the J. M. Hawks general merchandise.  A two-room brick housed the Webb pool hall and the First National Bank, organized in 1904 with capital stock of $10,000.  The three-gabled two storied Green Hotel and the Ferguson-Wheeler in the two room brick.  From Hop Alley south and across Vine to Olive extended the row of frame business houses, all erected in 1880 through the 90's [sic] and badly in need of paint and redecoration."

Submitted by Danny Moore