Wabash Street

[W. Gray]

I have been thinking about the picture that everyone (well a few anyway) was questioning whether it was of Howard or not.

I spoke with my mother and she says she remembers parking in the middle of street but does not remember parallel parking.

It would seem the Firestone garage building, also at one time a livery stable, had to have been replaced by the all new from the ground up building housing International-Harvester where the Senior Citizen building and optical place are now. That was around 1950.

At around the same time, I remember having a window seat on the second floor above the old McKee's dime store watching workers put in the new decorative light poles up and down the business area of Wabash that are still there and still in pretty good shape. As a little kid, construction of any kind always intrigued me. I think at the same time they put in the light poles they put in the extra curb.

I remember looking out that same window just before New Year's Day 1953 when news came over the radio that Hank Williams died of a "heart attack."

[frawin]

Waldo, that was a Minneapolis-Moline Dealer instead of International Harvestor.
Frank

[W. Gray]

Frank, that is interesting and it was close to Winn's Cafe at that.

I thought I remembered the big "I" inside the "H" that was on the doors.

Someone out there can surely break the tie.

[frawin]

Waldo, Jo McDonald worked there so we can let her break the tie. Also there is a sign form there in the Gragg Museum, I can promise you it was M-M. Howard never had and IH dealer, they had Allis Chalmers, Case, Ford,  New Idea,  New Holland and M-M. Also Winn's cafe wasn't there until after the M-M dealer closed.
Frank

[W. Gray]

Frank,

Let's go across the Washington Street from our implement dealer to where the Cox Community Center is.

Wasn't that Hebb's Garage? I seem to recall a Lou Hebb. I also recall a rather drab building that might not have been in good shape.

But, I also recall a Hebbs garage selling Pontiacs where Lannings is now down at the south end of Wabash. The earliest I recall him being there is 1955.

[frawin]

No that was Carl Lauffers Sinclair Service and later John Markeley had his vet cllinic there. Adrian Hebb and his brother-in-law, Earl Dean,  started Hebb and Dean Garage, also Sinclair after the war, it was where Lannings is now. Sam Hugg was the original Pontiac dealer and was across the street from Hebbs now Lannings. Sam sold out to Adrian and Adrian moved the dealership across the street and Kiners moved their Grocery Store into the building where Hugg had been.
Frank

[W. Gray]

Well if it was Carl Lauffer's color me red.

They were relatives if you consider my mother's sister married, I think, Carl's brother. Maybe that is why I recall walking around there.

[patyrn]

I don't think Hebb's Garage was ever on that corner.  Lou Hebb was the father of Adron Hebb, the latter of whom ran Hebb's Garage at the corner where Lannings' Supply now sits.  Billy Lanning bought the garage from Adron.

Adron started it in partnership with his brother-in-law, Earl Dean, and later bought him out.  I don't know whether the name Dean was ever in the name of the garage.  Lou was not associated in ownership with the garage, but he spent many, many hours there and told many "fishing tales".  The big fish that was mounted in the garage was caught by Lou and set a fishing record in the state of Kansas, I believe.  He was my great-uncle.

At one time, Paul Thompson had a Purina Feed Store in the area that is now the Senior Center.  It was probably in the late 1950s.  The Production Credit managed by Mr. Burghart at that time was in the front of that building, and another office was between that building and the feed store.  I don't remember what the middle business was, but Josephine Eaglin worked there, I recall.

[patyrn]

Sorry, Frank, that I repeated some of the information you posted.  I must have been typing at the same time.

KRI

[frawin]

That was not a problem, I am glad you jumped in.
Frank