This photo also shows the Grand Opera House and, across the alley, the Cunningham building. Built in 1869 by E. B. Alderman and Dexter Cunningham, the building housed Capt. Alderman's agricultural implement business. He was bought out by Cunningham. F. J. Cunningham followed Dexter and eventually S. McLaughlin operated a harness shop there. The east room of the building housed E. J. Wood's clothing store which was replaced by Crawford Clothing Co. The Good Templars had their lodge on the second floor.

The small building between Cunningham's and the 1904 Post Office is the 1875 Post Office. It was built by W. S. Benton after fire destroyed the previous location on the north side of Main Street. The building was also occupied by G. W. Strode, a jeweler and watch and clock repairman. In 1881, the building was sold to a tailor, William Shaw. (Not the William T. Shaw mentioned elsewhere.)

The 1904 Post Office was at the corner of Main and Booth on the former site of the Congregational Church built in the 1860s. The Post Office Department contracted with George L. Schoonover to construct the building of brick trimmed with blue Bedford stone. The furnishings, designed by a Mr. Schipkowsky, were manufactured at the Welch Factory in Anamosa.

The east side of the main floor of the building was occupied by the Post Office and included 500 boxes. The west side housed A. G. Gibbons & Co., Cash Pharmacy. This was sold to Frank Stoughton in 1916. It became a Rexall and eventually Hawley's drug store operated by Courtright Hawley. I wonder if it had a soda fountain?

The second floor was occupied by Judge Davis McCarn, Park Chamberlain, and Dr. H. W. Sigworth & Sons.

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