BLOCK 8 - Main Street Tour     Locate on map

Directly across from the pre-Depression-
era hospital and clinic, we may need to 
hesitate again as we are aware of the 
uphill grade. This block is dominated 
by one department store, Montgomery 
Ward, usually called simply Ward’s. 


Not there yet, however, 
take note of the corner 
business remembered in 
the 50’s as Mathena’s
Flower Shop. Earlier 
the same location had 
housed a bookstore. 
Then comes a used 
furniture store owned
by the Robinsons.  At
one time you could trade 
your old comic books there.


Now we are at Ward’s. 
Inside it is clearly 
split into two levels 
because of the steep 
grade, making it necessary 
to go up two steps to 
enter the section with 
appliances and hardware 
and the credit department. 
The lower section was 
primarily clothing. Mr. 
Meyers was the store 
manager for a number of 
years. Ward’s and Penney’s 


seemed to be geared toward the small town in those days rather than 
the mammoth anchor stores of modern malls that they became.  One 
feature at Ward’s was the catalog department so very handy for rural 
families wishing to purchase an item not readily available in town. 
Catalogs were great wish books.  Special catalogs issued before 
Christmas were fun ways for children to decide what to ask Santa 
to give them.


Finally at the end of the business 
section of town we come to the 
Mission Garage, where many a vehicle 
was reclaimed and repaired to travel 
local streets and roads for more 
years than the original manufacturers 
perhaps envisioned. It was operated 
by Nick Gallagher at one time.

End Tour