Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

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Where Gildner and Hanson are was Vehon's clothing
store. Next was Brasted and Prentice grocery store.
Over Charles Carter's store was Mrs. Springer's private
school and later was used for the phone office, still
doing business here, but on a a much larger scale. Next
to Brasted and Prentice was a vacant lot: then comes
Frank Fisher's saloon, where the Economy Shoe store
is now. Where Zeuch is, Estell Carter had a jewelry
store.
Where Aments are now, was an old large frame
building, occupied by the Clancy Sisters dry goods.
Next to it was John Cudworth's Hardware store.
Charles Rhoden had a jewelry-music store and with
him was John Feehan. He sold sewing machines. Then
came the Shaw and Schoonover Bank and across Huber
Street was the county offices. East of the treasurer's
office was a drug store owned by George Higby and it
was later owned by Burd Sigworth. Then comes Shaw
and Dutton crockery, glass and groceries.
The doctors in town were Dr. Blakeslee, Dr. Gawley,
Dr. Adair, Dr. Sigworth and Dr. Joslin. The dentists
were Dr. DeFord, Dr. Eaton, Dr. Pearson and Dr. B.F.
Erb.
The attorneys were Shean 81 McCarn; McKean 8:
McKean: Judge Ellison; Jamison; Ercanbrach Br
Remley: Keeler 8: Keeler; Judge Stacey; and Charles M.
Brown.
Our Mayor was Pat Washington; H.O. Frink was our
town marshal and Jim Fielding, our night watchman.
Mart Kenyon was constable. Mrs. Lottie Tompson was
our one and only hairdresser. She was the wife of Tod
Thompson, who was nick-named ‘Laughing Tom‘.
The livery stables were the Osborne Bros.. Needham
and Burritt. The wagon shops were Ed Atchinson, Tom
Foarde. John Van Ness. The cabinet maker was John
Foxafl.
There was a tin shop run by Clint Trester. At that
time, the Osborne Brothers bought horses and shipped
them to the eastern market. B.F. Bedford ran the
Bedford house, just north of the depot.
Another popular institution. at this time. was the
private school conducted by Mr. and Miss Corbyn, on
the property now owned by the Loders.
Horse-watering Fountains
by Bertha Finn
If Anamosa residents haven't seen the two landmark
public horse watering fountains in ‘person’, they have
probably seen photos of them, or have heard parents, or
grandparents, speak of them.
Most people know about the one in the intersection of
Main and Garnaviilo streets by the ‘Gillen Hotel‘. Some
of our citizens know of the similar one which was
located by the corner of Cleveland and Main Streets.
Many people would attest that there was only one
fountain, although there really were two of the public
house troughs or fountains.
The one on Main and Garnaviilo was installed in the
summer of 1879, with a good deal of doubt in the minds
of many of the townspeople, in placing it in that spot.
due to the crowded street conditions. The feeling was
that it would stop a runaway, but it was thought that in
doing so, it would be too abrupt.
The fountain was placed about 40 feet southeast of
the Gillen Hotel, and it was decided by the city fathers
that if it proved too much of an obstruction, that it
could be removed to a side street.
During the 40 years of its history the little public
drinking fountain for horses, was hit and battered by
teams of wagons, by buggies and finally by a Ford
automobile that caused its demise.
In 1914 the base of the fountain was painted white
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Main Street, looking west, Anamosa, Iowa, before I912. (Photo submitted by John and Bettie Miller)
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