New & Cool: Photos from 1899

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by Kristine Schmucker, HCHM Curator

Working at a museum is never dull – you never know who will walk in the door bringing the next treasure! Recently, our neighbor across the street, Kelly Hayes, Furniture Warehouse, stopped by to give us some photos he ‘laying around.’

What a treasure!

The photos match other photos we have of a street fair in 1899 – seen below.

Parade, Main Street, Newton, Ks. 1899. 200 Block on the east side with the AT$SF Railroad Depot and crossing arms visible in background.

Below is on of a series of 4 photos that we have in our collection.

Photos recently donated.

Looking north toward the railroad tracks.

The former Clark Hotel on the left, Arcade/Atchison & Santa Fe Depot on the right.

Note on dating: According to newspaper accounts and other photos in the collection, the Arcade building was remodeled with a different roof line and re-opened in May 1900.  On the right hand side of the photo, east side the 400 & 300 block including Swartz Lumber at 322 Main.

Looking north down Main, east side, 500 Block.

Duff & Duff Furniture & Undertaking, 516-518 Main. Opera House tower visible on the left hand side of photo. This block was destroyed by fire on August 4, 1914.

 

Looking north down Main, east side, 500-600 Block.

Visible on the right –  Kansas State Bank; visible on the left – Opera House Tower.

Looking north down Main, east side, 600 Block.

Lehman’s Hardware & Implements, 604-608 Main.

Copies of Photos Available!

These photos may have been taken by F. H. Mann, who worked at the Kansan Book Bindery, and available for purchase.

Evening Kansan Republican, 13 October 1899.

 The Book Bindery was started in March 1898 with Mann at the helm by the Evening Kansan Republican. He had learned his trade at his father’s bindery in Quincy, Ill and had worked in Topeka before Newton.

F.H. Mann center.

More on the Clark Hotel and here.

Sources

  • The Evening Kansan Republican: 2 March 1899, 7 October 1899. 13 October 1899, 15 May 1900.

Who’s Who?

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by Kristine Schmucker, HCHM Curator

In the summer of 1915, the Evening Kansan Republican ran a contest “Who’s Who and Why in Newton?”

The questions were about Newton businesses and the answer needed to include the business name and address.

For example Question # 27 asked about a pioneer grocery merchant. (answer at the end of the post)

Question #2

Question #2 asked about a blacksmith shop with a unique feature.

“In front of this blacksmith shop you will see a big pile of old horseshoes which is a small indication of what has been transpiring on the inside during the past 2 or 3 years this firm has been in the business . . . What is the name? “

We recently received a photograph of the blacksmith shop with “the big pile of old horseshoes.”

Fent & Ravenscroft Blacksmith

The name and address was Fent & Ravenscroft Blacksmith located at 216 E, 5th.  After Ravenscroft left the business, O.S. Fent continued for a number of years.

The Winners & Prizes

The Answer for #27

Who’s Who in 1915

Test your knowledge of Newton businesses in 1915.  Take the whole quiz, but don’t peek at the answers.

Sand Creek Dam Reconstrucrtion Project: 1960-1967

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A Photo Album of  the Sand Creek Dam Reconstruction Project in the mid- 1960s. All photos are part of the Harvey County Historical Museum & Archives Photo Collection: Bridges & Dams. Sanned and researched by Linda Koppes, compiled by Kristine Schmucker.

Sand Creek Dam 1960-1964

Sand Creek Dam, ca. 1960.

August  1963

A view of the Sand Creek Dam from the 1st Street Bridge shortly be for demolition of the dam August 24, 1963.

October 1963

Sand Creek Dam Reconstruction Project 1965-1967

January 1965

Building the floor of the Sand Creek Dam.  Men working in an enclosed area of wood supports covered by plastic sheeting, January 13, 1965.

June 1965

Showing the area of the inflatable dam on Sand Creek just south of 1st Street.  The dam was lowered to allow the flood water to move on south.

 

August 1966

Sand Creek dry river bed, Athletic Park roadway on the left side of photo.

Fall 1966

Sand Creek looking west from the Main Street Bridge during dam reconstruction October 20, 1966.

Sand Creek looking east from Main Street Bridge.  View of dirt work on banks, October 1966.

Sand Creek Dry River bed viewed from Oak Street, Newton.

 

Spring 1967

Sand Creek & Ash Street Bridge during dam reconstruction. Photo taken from 9th Street, March 25, 1967.

Sand Creek and Ash Street Bridge during dam reconstruction project.  Photo taken from 9th Street.

Sand Creek Reconstruction workers placing rocks on banks.

Sand Creek looking north from 1st Street during the dam reconstruction project March 27, 1967.