Town Talk: The Pulse of Progress
Early settlements in Kansas were often located near trade routes, water, or natural resources. The Kaw River made parts of the territory more appealing to early settlers. Lawrence, located along the Kaw River, still booms with life today. The city’s main street, Massachusetts Street (or Mass Street) has long served as Lawrence’s downtown hub for commerce. From drug stores, to clothing, to restaurants and pubs, just about everything can be found on Mass Street. Many of the buildings still standing today were built between 1856 and 1953.
The items on this page provide viewers a glimpse of what life was like in Lawrence in the 1800s. They illustrate the hustle and bustle of life on Massachusetts Street and highlight some “town staples” that can still be found today.
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Massachusetts Street – Downtown Lawrence
Massachusetts Street was and is home to many community staples. Serving as the city’s “downtown” area, it was a hub for business.
Photographs of Mass Street circa 1876
Steinbergs’ Business Card, [circa 1865]
Steinberg and Brothers occupied 743 Mass Street for 9 years. The business can be seen in the photograph of the West side of Mass Street as the third building from the left. The building is occupied today by Jefferson’s.
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Stereocard of Massachusetts Street, 1886
the Opera News, January 1898
In the stereocard, Geo Leis Drugs, advertised on the left inside page of the Opera News (left), is on the far-left end of the block at 747 Mass Street. Today, 747 Mass Street is not a valid address.
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House Receipt, 1879
J. House Business Card, [circa 1870s]
J.House, owned and operated by Jacob House, was a clothing business located at 729 Massachusetts Street. The receipt, from the J.D. Bowersock collection, notates sales and prices of clothing in the late nineteenth century.
The current building, occupied by Ruff House Print Shop, is marked by a plaque for surviving Quantrill’s Raid. House, a highly esteemed Lawrencian, was in the building at the time of Quantrill’s Raid and taken prisoner and forced to show the raiders around the town.
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Town Staples
The Eldridge Hotel has been a Lawrence staple since its inception. Beginning as the Free State Hotel, the building was burned to the ground in 1856. Colonel Shalor Eldridge reopened the hotel until it was attacked and burned again during Quantrill’s Raid in 1863. Rebuilt a second time, the hotel was reopened as Hotel Eldridge. An advertisement for the hotel can be seen on the front page of the newspaper to the right.
The Eldridge Hotel has a rich history of perseverance. The present-day building is located at the Northwest corner of 7th and Mass Street, whose exterior features a historical marker.
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First opened in 1856, Liberty Hall has always been a space for the community. Though the building has been burned numerous times and held a variety of businesses, it has frequently served as a venue for entertainment. In 1882, the building was purchased by J.D. Bowersock and reopened as the Bowersock Opera House. Hence the newspaper, The Opera News.
Justin DeWitt (J.D.) Bowersock was a prominent figure in Lawrence. A politician and businessman, Bowersock owned the opera house, the dam over the Kaw River, and invested in many local businesses including the Lawrence Paper Company and the Lawrence National Bank.
Today, the building is occupied once again by Liberty Hall. Showing movies, concerts, and more, the space continues to be a place of gathering. A historical marker is attached to the building’s exterior on the Southeast corner of 7th and Mass Street.
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Watkins National Bank
Photograph of Watkins National Bank, undated
Letter to J.B. Watkins Requesting Shares in the Newly Opened Watkins National Bank, March 1888
Bank Note from Watkins National Bank, May 1893
Upon the opening of Watkins National Bank in 1888, Jabez Bunting (JB) Watkins sent his peers letters asking them to purchase shares in the bank. He received many letters back from interested parties (below). The bank ran successfully for many years until merging with the Lawrence National Bank in 1928.
After the closure of the bank, the building became City Hall until 1970. Today the building houses the Watkins Museum of History which is run by the Douglas County Historical Society. The notable red brick building is located in the Northwest corner of 11th and Mass Street. The building is marked with a plaque for the National Register of Historic Places.
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Receipt from Wilder Brothers, June 1880
Western Bakery Account Book, 1860-1863
The Wilder Brothers first came to Lawrence in 1870 and opened the Wilder Bros Shirt Company. Located at 6th and New Hampshire Street, the business operated until 1912. The Wilder Brothers are buried in Oak Hill Cemetery.
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Little can be found on Western Bakery. The bakery’s account book survives in pieces split between the Spencer Research Library and the Kansas State Historical Society. Owned by Lewis A. Wise and located on the West side of Mass Street between 7th and 8th, the business closed after he was killed during Quantrill’s Raid. Wise is said to be buried in Pioneer Cemetery in Lawrence.