This firm was organized in 1890 by Henry B. Lotz and his brother Benjamin. They learned to make shoes by hand from their father, Bernhardt Lotz, who was a well known shoemaker. Henry passed away in 1931 and Ben continued the business until 1937...
Business enterprises; Transportation; Horse-drawn vehicles
According to Harry Lemen's commentary, this was the last horse drawn coal wagon in Madison. Notice the smaller wheels in the front of the wagon. This was for maneuvering into tight spaces. Many folks who had coal furnaces will remember the...
Business enterprises; Diedrick, George; Holwager, Louis; Mundt, Walter C.; Mundt, Betty; Candy
In 1887 this building served as a boot and shoe store owned by George Diedrick. It was also Todd's Book Store. In 1890 Louis Holwager's Grocery Store was housed here. According to the city directories, the Western Union Telegraph Co. was once...
Transportation; Business Enterprises; Advertisements; Carbonated beverages; Trucks
The Clicquot, pronounced "klee-ko," Ginger Ale Company was born in Millis, Mass., in the 1880s. At one time it owned bottling companies all over the United States. It shipped its soda drinks all over the world. At first ginger ale was all that was...
Industries-Indiana; Nail industry; Tacks; Factories
An early view of the Tower Manufacturing Co. at 110-112 Depot St. The drawing was published in 1899 when the factory was only four years old. According to the May 18, 1899 issue of the Madison Daily Democrat "It turns out tons and tons of cat...
Stables; Livery; Business enterprises; Sale barn; Warehouses
This building was probably built to be a livery stable or at least a building to contain horses. The 1859 city directory lists the building as McCubbin and Sons Livery. It was also called a livery and sale barn at one point. For several years in...
The Christian Science Church and Reading Room has been located at several addresses over the years, according to the city directories. They were once, for several years, located in the Jewish Synagogue on East Second Street, probably not long...
The Christian Science Church and Reading Room has been located at several addresses over the years, according to the city directories. They were once, for several years, located in the Jewish Synagogue on East Second Street, probably not long...
In the 1887 Madison City Directory James T. McCoy operated a livery stable in the building. In 1912 John Feurstien maintained a livery there. By 1925 M. C. Litson owned and operated a livery and in 1927 the sign above the door was Wallace...
According to Way's Packet Directory the "Homer Smith" was build by Howard's in 1914. The "Homer Smith" ran excursions on the lower Ohio in 1915 and briefly tried the Louisville and Cincinnati trade. It became a regular excursion boat at Pittsburg...
According to Harry Lemen, this coal oil wagon was fifty-three years old in 1927 and the owner, Paul Meyers, was its twenty-third owner. In the late 1800s and early 1900s coal oil, or kerosene, was much in demand. Its primary use was for lamps and...
If the "Delta Queen" was the swan of the Ohio, then the "Kentucky" was the Little Mud Hen. According to Way's Packet Directory, "the cabin was shifted out of plumb and leaned in a uniform stagger creating an optical illusion seen nowhere else...
This building was a former high school from 1878 to 1907 at which time it became a grammar school from 1907 to 1918. In 1918 it became a junior high school and was used as such until 1928, when it was sold for private use. In the 1939 city...
While the Catholic Church had maintained various schools for its children from almost the beginning in Madison, these had been schools mostly of tenuous positions, depending on availability of teachers, resources and facilities. In 1905 came the...
According to library historical files, the original location was occupied by the market house located on the square which was on lots 69, 70 and 71 which had been laid aside for a courthouse, jail and public market place. The lots were sold to the...
This school hack was from the Ryker's Ridge School area. We don't know exactly where or when it was in use. The school hack, despite its primitive looks, was a novel and improved mode of transportation. Without the hack, choices were walking,...
