Downtown WEST MAIN Street

On sixth street was the designated market area, Dan Kraus Livery Barn, Eudora Hotel (1880s-1893).(621 Main); grocery (circa 1800s) (618 Main Street Terrace); and Copp hotel. At 6 West Sixth Street was the Bismarck Hotel (1895-past 1910 and later residence) and, a little further west, Gus Braun’s shoe repair store (circa 1900). Before Bismarck, in the 1860s, Dr. Kemper built the “Stone Jug.” A. Abrahmson also ran a saloon in the “old Haelsig” building in 1892 south of the railroad track on Main Street. The house adjoined the Bismarck Hotel (seen to right being razed) and was destroyed by fire in 1924.

527 Main: BLK 137 LTS 11,12,13 & 14 (E02218A & E02220A COMBINED 2000) C-Hawkk (which makes highway signage, etc.) in the structure built for the Eudora Animal Clinic (1975-late 1980s). This may have been the site of Getker’s undertaking business, also; although some reports say it was north of tracks. North of Getkers was Peter Hartig’s cabinet shop and a restaurant. Also north of railroad tracks in earliest years a furniture store, Durr store, and Basemann store stood. 

 Bought by singer Kawehi Wight in 2013 and known as the Pilla Building, this 8,000 square foot building has residences upstairs (some used for recording studios) and was extensively remodeled by Sam Platt, owner of Redhouse Recording, which continued with Get Up Kids rock band, owners of Blacklodge Recording Studio. Before, it was a funeral chapel (1990s), [Ruth and Howard Wilson’s] Quick Chek and Howard’s Quick Check (and later Super Saver) grocery (1960-1980+), [Otis Wolfe’s] IGA (1957-1960), Robert and Mary Nusbaum grocery (1950-1957), John Kazmaier grocery (1937-1940), Fred Walker and George Schubert grocery (1930s), and Herb Lawson grocery (circa 1929). From 1862 to 1929, it housed the Pilla Store, which sold groceries, general merchandise, and implements. Charles Pilla parked farm machinery behind the store and to the west. Also behind the stores was another grocery (circa 1929). 705: A later addition to the Pilla building and residence of one of his daughters, this structure has housed Jim O’ Berg’s office, [Mark Russel’s] pizza shop, [Rosalie Fulks] The Country Shoppe that sold yarn (1973-1975), various cafes(1960s-1971); The Grille (1941-1949) owned by Les Fisher then Oscar Westerhouse and Lester Massey (1944-1946) then Johnnie and Joyce Miller (1946-1947) then [Earl and Olive] Clark’s Café (1949-1958). Known at the Grille café later was owned by Margaret Shoemate (1958-1959), Marvin Thompson (1959-1960), Burgesses (1960-1961), Wilma McBee (1961-1962), Fred Christian (1962-1964), [Irma Rucker] Irma’s Café (1964-1967); [Delmar Alpers’] Pop’s Café (1967-1967), [Kenneth Church] Ken’s Café (1967-1968) then [Lucile Wheeler’ Wheeler’s Cafe (1968), Lloyd Bryant, and, in 1971, new management called the café “Roberta’s.” In the alley west of the building, Henry Zeisenis had a shop in the 1890s. Pilla built a warehouse behind the building in 1889.

In 1873, an atlas shows a hotel owned by H. Raum here. A 1917 news item said the Ramm family had their home here until the State Bank (began 1892) was built. However, an 1899 item said Henry Ramm had been living in San Francisco since 1875, and a news story of the time said that Charles Pilla’s warehouse stood here and was razed in 1897 to house the Eudora State Bank, which became the Home State Bank (1923-1927). Mention of a bank was made in an 1895 news items that said Josie Conner had bought out Mrs. Gus Ziesenis’ share of a confectionery and ice cream parlor co-owned with Mary Ziesenis. The store had opened in 1894 and was “one door north of the bank.” Since those days, it has housed Cornerstone Property Management; Suzanne Ashley Alterations and Other Wonders (2003-2006), Noggins (beauty salon) (late 1990s), [Trisha Lemmons’] Lasting Impressions beauty salon (1996), Jack Murphy’s law offices, Michael Anderson’s law office (circa 1991), [Mrs. Ken Lawson] beauty salon, [Carol Fulks’] Carol’s Beauty Shop (1966-1982), Emma Jean (Miner) Ellis hair salon (circa 1965), Miller & Midyett Real Estate (1963 and a couple of years, Clarence William watchmaker (circa 1950s), Abbott’s Café (circa 1952), and Bea Wilson hair salon (1941-1951), and George Wolf’s dentist office (circa 1937). The Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review added this building to the state’s register of historic places in 2012. 

 Today’s post office built in 1962 stands on site of the two-story, frame Lavo Building built before 1870 that had upstairs apartments. In the 1880s, the Lavo Building, which appeared on the 1870 atlas, housed a bakery. In this building was Ernest Coony restaurant (1940s); Loss restaurant (1942); Emma Lotz café (took over for Tarleton until 1942 or 1944 and bought property in 1922, according to abstract); Robert and Louis Graham’s restaurant (1921-1922); J. Milt “Smike’s” Tarleton confectionery and café (1909-1921); J. Milt Tarleton and Will Trefz bakery and restaurant (1907-1909); H. C. Papenhausen’s bakery, restaurant, and confectionary (1905-1907); Gress restaurant (1903-1905); Loomis restaurant (before 1903); Lowrie restaurant (1902); Carlton barber shop (early 1900s); William Coates’ harness shop (1899) (William Coates bought out Ed Marshall’s interest in 1899 and hired T. L. Haelsig) who was here (1892-1895); and Papenhausen bakery, confectionery and cigar story (1888-1889). The original abstract shows that August and Johanna Ziesenis sold this lot “with a farmhouse thereon.” 

IOOF Lodge (second floor), Integrity Midwest Insurance, Miller Agency Insurance (which originally was part of Kaw Valley Bank), Tornedon Tax Service (1970-1981+); Medical Devices Corps (1967-1975+); Alf T. H. Oleson Rexall pharmacy (lower floor) (1946-1961); Cliff Pingry barber shop (1945-1955); Chet Daum’s barber shop (1942-1945); Tom Rickett’s barber shop (1940-1942); shoe repair services (1919-1925); [Charles Noell and D. Sheldon, both of Medicine Lodge] barber shop (1913-?); Alonzo Mack barber shop (8 months in 1913); Homer White Rexall pharmacy (1903-1944); John Kennedy pharmacy (1895-1903) (Kennedy built an oil house in rear of store in 1899); and McShane & Scott pharmacy (1893-1895). Kling had a building on the northern edge here before 1870. 

Hometown Cuts (2021-); Blue Riot Hair Studio (2017-2020); Heads or Nails Family Salon (2009-2014) seen to right; [Seth/Brian Rislove’s] Main Event (1984-2008) and Country Cutting (early 1980s); Larry Brooks’ barber shop (opened in 1978); Mark Cundiff’s barber shop (1973-1978); Bob’s Barber (owned by Bob Massey and also staffed by Dave Garrett, Kenneth Lawson, and Mark Cundiff) (1961-1973) and Don Rayl’s barber shop (1955-1961). There was a barbershop in this same location on the 1912 Sanborn map. 

Maps show a building here in 1870 belonging to Casper Marfilius. There also was said to be a small, wooden building here built in 1880s that at one time was rented to Fred Brocker for selling shoes. Charles Willsdorf also had a confectionary, pool hall, and shooting gallery in the “two Willsdorf buildings” that formerly housed the “Billiard Hall” and grocery of W. J. Baker, post office (?-1892), and Eudora State Bank/Eudora Home Bank (1892-1897), before William Schubert opened his barber shop here in 1897, added on to the building in 1904 and put his undertaking rooms in the large brick part of the building, furniture and sewing machine sales on the south, and barber shop in front. [However, Harriet Schubert Green in 2007 referred to the small building to the south as the “barber shop.” Schubert’s or another?] Other businesses here include Shepherd’s Plumbing and Construction (1989- ); [Mike and Bill Westerhouse’s] Eudora Heating and Air Conditioning (1982-1989) that shared office space with Miller Midyett (north) (during this time two apartments upstairs restored); Delmars Bar & Grill (1970s); Orthocast/Orthopedic Casting Laboratory Inc. (1974- ?); [Dick and Dorothy Cullimore] Eudora Cleaners, a drycleaner, (1966-1970); Mabel White’s drycleaner (mid 1950s); Kennett drycleaner (circa 1957-1960); H. S. Woodard garage in south part of building around 1930; Billy Z. [Zieseneis?] had something in here in the early 1940s; [Johnnie and Joyce Miller’s] Johnnie’s Café (late 1940s-early 1950s); [Fred] Lawn Café; [Frank Popham’s] Victory Café (1945-1948); [Joe] Smiths Café (1930-1936); Elmer Everley barber shop (1929-?); J.D. Burton barber shop (1927-1929); and W.R. Henley jewelry store (opened in 1917). J.W. Cooper, a physician from Desoto, took over the rooms vacated by Dr. White (1890-1897, and, in 1887, W. F. Fowler, Lawrence, set up a shop to repair watches and sewing machines that closed in 1893. At one time, after the Schubert family had it, there was a skating rink here, said Harriet Schubert Green.

[J. Ramirez’s] Jasmin restaurant (Chinese and Mexican food) (2000-), The Pub (1997-? owned by Greg and Gayle Daniels of Lawrence, and 1985-1997 by Darrell Kahle), [Dan Strimple’s and Larry Sanders’] The Pub bar (1982-1984), Jim’s Bar and Grill (1970s-1980s), Winfred Ball’s pool hall (circa 1965); Palace Shoe Shop (1930s). Alfred Eisele’s plumbing and tin shop (1914-1934) (Robert Gabriel was in partnership with him until 1925), shoe shop (circa 1912), and bakery (circa 1910). 

Built by Dr. Kibler, this building housed Bills Accounting Service (2008?), Eudora Wash Tub (before 1983- 2008), J&M Laundry (circa 1974), [Stan and Wanda Cooke’s] Eudora Laundrette (1966-1974), and [Madge Lancaster’s] beauty parlor (1952-1958). A. F. Haelsig’s jewelry shop was around here before 1870 and past 1875. 

North side: Eudora Thrift Shop (expansion); [Bill Vigneron’s] Bill’s Tax Service (1987-), Calico ceramics shop, Eudora Enterprise, The Hair Loft (1970s-1980s), Eudora Public Library (1967-1974), [Emma Jean (Miner) Nuffer] Klip ‘n Curl Beauty Salon, (mid to late 1960s) Betty Beach beauty saloon (1964-1965), Bill Neustifter’s paint store (1962-1964), medical office of Bernard Harden (1951-1955)/George Learned (1949-1951)/ Ralph Hale (1948-1949)/ Milton Dodge (1947-1948)/ Lewis Blackburn (1946-1947) and /Chase Johnson (circa 1923 to 1946). South half was used by Frank Martin for a café (circa 1943-1948) with five stools and one table. Also was Julius Lotz residence (late 1800s to mid 1950s). Other businesses housed in these buildings were Rose Harvey Café (1920-1923); Adolph Lotz’s real estate and insurance (1890s-1930) and Eudora News Weekly (circa 1900-1915) with barbershop operated by Bert Brown, then Clark Major, and later George Catlin in basement. Michael “Dan” Scannel’s real estate and insurance and tobacco office (1917-1915) also said to be here). Abstracts show that Asher Cohn owned the lot in 1860; other owners were J. F. Roberts, Dr. S. American, Traugott Haelsig, Ernest and Frederick Gerstenberger, Adoph Lotz, and Julius Lotz. Robert Bartusch had an ice cream parlor, bakery, and cafe (1882 and 1890s) and residence on the north; a 1913 deed record shows that Robert Bartusch deeded Lot 15, Block 135 to Mina Bartusch and Clara Lotz, both of whom were his daughters. In 1901, the north section was used for Hedden millinery; Home Baker in 1904; and in 1905 used it for his undertaking business. 

The Kaw Valley State Bank was built in 1962 and doubled in size with a northern addition in 1966. Even earlier, Henry Ziesenis operated his harness shop and tannery (before 1870-1887) in a building on this site that also housed a post office, Shinhoffer’s Grocery, the Eudora newspaper, barber shop, Von Bergen cheese factory, and others. The building’s partitions sectioned off three separate businesses. “Ziesenis Corner,” also known as “Post Office Corner,” had a basement, because an 1890 news clipping refers to John Dolisi, butcher, renting the basement of the Ziesenis harness shop, to store 60 tons of summer ice. William Coate bought the Ziesenis harness shop (1887-1891), then fire caused by fireworks destroyed the building July 4, 1892—a $2,000 loss. Henry Ziesenis moved his one-story frame building at Seventh Street and Main Street to this location (lot eleven) and placed brick around it and added a tin roof. William Fuller bought the building for his hardware store (1897-1928) and put a public water trough in front in 1899. The brick and frame building was said to have been 50’ by 50.’ Fuller, citing his health and bad hip, later sold the large store to Frank Morrissey (1928-1934), who sold the business to Eisele’s Hardware (1934-1943) and it was later used as apartments. Marian Clark and Jessie Ball both had beauty shops there circa 1960. A 1927 Sanborn map shows a cream station and feed warehouse on the northeast corner of Lot12. In 1975, the Haelsig home to the west of the Eighth Street and Main Street southwest corner was demolished to build a parking area for Kaw Valley Bank. This American Hotel, also known as the Pennsylvania House and American House, was located on lot 13 and in operation about 1880 and later (1934?) destroyed by fire. In 1899, a news item referred to this site as the “old John Dolisi” home. Etta Zimmerman opened a dressmaking service here in 1893, Charles Durr had offices here until 1893, and the Eudora newspaper also had its office there (circa 1909). Wilson & Barrett had a grocery store and general merchandise store around 1894 to 1898 that was located “on the west of the street, a few doors north of the post office,” which may have put the store around this location as the post office was located on the southwest corner of Eighth Street and Main Street at this time. J. Buck had a building in 1873 on lot 13 on lots north of the American Hotel.

 John Brender, a wagon maker and hardware implements dealer, had a blacksmith shop here in the early 1860s, which was formerly “Reel’s shop.” In 1882, Brender erected a frame building, 50’x 25’, two stories high, for a hardware and implement department and employed five men. S. Schrader bought and operated the blacksmith shop, when the Brenders built a new one a block north. Eudora’s first gas station, Continental Oil Company opened by Charles Conger and later owned by George Gerstenberger (1920-1948) was built here after the Hunsinger house, also on this site, was razed. Mutual Savings of Leavenworth built a bank building on the site 1977 and has occupied it since.