This old house...
Photos by Joey May
This snapshot of a Nov. 19, 1937 paper shows in news that day Rev. L>L. Hassenpflug was entering his 40th year on the pulpit.
Photos by Joey May
Brad and Kristen Rosenberger are renovating this more than century-old home at 508 Utah.
The Liberty Theatre in Horton was showing ‘The Perfect Specimen,’ featuring Errol Flynn this week in 1937.
This article was about two fires in one day — although the ladies in the shop put one out themselves.
A glance at the classifieds shows that Meek Mortuary was advertising an Ambulance Service during this era and that men could order a little ‘pep.’
Bierer’s Clothing in downtown Hiawatha were offering a 20 percent off sale. This was once located in the Medical Wellness Center at 700 Oregon.
Also found during the renovation of the house was a token for Willard Service Station, located in the 400 block of Oregon St. On the other side it offered $1 off a battery.
In 1937, taking a dollar off a vehicle battery was probably a significant value.
This ad was printed in a 1917 edition of the Hiawatha Daily World.
Brown County Historical Society
Wolfley’s Garage in the 400 block of Oregon leased part of its garage to Willard Service Station.
“This old house” is more than just a popular television series that details more than 1,000 episodes of flipping a fixer-upper.
To many, “this old house” has sentimental and historical meaning that can more often than not focus on the treasures and stories found within those walls that offered homes to people long past.
A local couple — Brad and Kristen Rosenberger — have been flipping an old house at 508 Utah within the same block they live. Brad said during extensive renovation of the house — which was built in 1873 and also served as a nursing home for several years — he came across a few treasures.
One of those treasures was a token from Willard Service Station, located at 419 Oregon St. at the time the token was made and distributed, offering the customer $1 off a car battery. A search of advertisements for Willard Service Station from that era showed that batteries ran around $26.95 with an exchange.
A search back in Hiawatha history — with the help of Lynn Allen, curator/executive director at the Brown County Historical Society — reveals that the Willard Service Station not only occupied 419 Oregon St., but also 413 and 417 based on various advertisements for the station, listing C.W. Dannenburg as manager.
According to an article in the Hiawatha Daily World April 25, 1919 edition, C.C. Gerber — owner of Willard Service Station — was leasing a 30x65 area in the neighboring business, Wolfley’s Garage.
In that year, Wolfley’s was expanding its garage 50 by 140 feet, making it the largest garage in Kansas, “perhaps in the West,” according to the article.
Dannenburg told the World at the time that the expansion would allow for a complete line of Avery tractors, threshing machines and implements of the same make. Willard’s was also expanding to offer educational seminars to care for tractors, along with a drive thru service.
The Historical Society did not have any photos from Willard’s Service Station from that era, but had a copy of Wolfley’s in early 1940s, which had appeared to have encompassed much of the area east of the Morrill Public Library.
Due to the address on the token, which notes it as 419 Oregon, this leads one to believe it was issued during the time in the early 1920s, when Willard’s was occupying part of Wolfley’s Garage.
Rosenberger also came across a few old papers, which he said were used as insulation in many old houses. He pulled out a Kansas City Star and a very worn Hiawatha Daily World, dated Nov. 19, 1937, with a large chunk taken from the center.
News from nearly a century ago differs a bit from news of today. At a glance, the ads revealed there were several clothing stores in Hiawatha back in the day, including Bierer’s, located in the current Medical Wellness Center at 700 Oregon, and Middlebrook’s and the Golden Rule Store.
The Liberty Theater in Horton was offering shows of “The Perfect Specimen,” featuring Errol Flynn and Chesterfield was advertising cigarettes — something that has definitely not been allowed for many years.
Dickinson Cinema was advertising itself as the “Finest Cinema in Northeast Kans” and was offering several shows including “Double Wedding,” “100 Men and a girl and James Cagney in “Something to Sing About.”
Morrill and Janes Bank and Trust advertised bank loans and talked about why bankers are usually conservative. Meek Mortuary advertised an ambulance service and the personal ad above that promoted an Ostrex tonic to give men a little “pep!”
Greene’s Drug Store was exclusively offering Old Kickato tonic for stomach ailments and Griffith Motor Co., was featuring the brand spanking new 1938 Pontiac Silver Streak automobile.
News on the front page included “Two Fires Same Day but Only One goes in City Records.” The story goes that two fires broke out in Hiawatha on Thursday, Nov. 18, 1937, and the fire department responded to Floyd Malinowky’s basement, where the blaze did considerable damage.
“Earlier in the day there was a fire at the West Side grocery store but clerks there said they were so busy putting out the flames that they didn’t have time to call firemen, so it isn’t really an official fire.”
Another interesting front page article referred to the a “brand new” indoor turkey shoot in the basement of the auditorium, sponsored by the Legion post, and a local pastor — Rev. L.L. Hassenpflug ready to celebrate 40 years on the pulpit. Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Lee of White cloud celebrated the birth of a daughter on Nov. 14 and 11-year-old Donald Dale Riley of Lancaster passed away after a week-long illness.
Rosenberger, who has been in the concrete and construction business for decades, said this isn’t the first house he and his wife have flipped — they also completed the house to the east of this one. Some other treasures they have found in their efforts have included First Edition Star Wars cards.
He plans to keep all of these treasures as mementos of his hometown.
“I think I will frame the paper,” he said.
The Hiawatha World and the Historical Society welcome any other information about the tokens and Willard’s Service Station, along with Wolfley’s. Anyone with information on Willard’s Service Station can contact joeymay@npgco.com or the Historical Society at bchsdirect@gmail.com.
