Martin Building Then and Now

714-718 N Second Ave

There are several buildings in Dodge City which seem bland from a distance but are actually quite special. No matter how many times I walk past the Martin Building, I can’t help but stare. Although it’s less than one hundred years old, the property has a long backstory.

In 1883, Louis K McIntyre carried mail and passengers along a stage route between Dodge City and Tascosa, Texas. He sold his interest in the business to George Emerson in January of 1884. McIntyre then built a lumber yard at the southeast corner of Second Avenue (commonly called Bridge Street) and Vine Street which occupied half the block.

L. K. McIntyre Lumber Company was officially incorporated August 25, 1888. At this time, McIntyre served on the City Council (before the switch to a City Commission).

He also ran for Kansas Secretary of State on the Prohibition ticket in November of 1888, which was the same month the lawsuits started popping up in the legal notices. It appears that all of McIntyre’s materials and properties were mortgaged to the hilt. George Emerson began foreclosure proceedings on the lumber yard property in February of 1889.

A sheriff’s sale was scheduled for November 9, 1889 and McIntyre pivoted to the grocery business.

The lots sat vacant until Henry and Susanna Strange of the Bee Hive Dry Goods store built two cottages north of the alley in 1895. Henry died in 1908 followed by Susanna in 1912. Their partner in the Bee Hive, George T Martin, assumed ownership of the cottage at what would become 716 Second Avenue.

Martin sold the Bee Hive in 1913 and focused on real estate. When construction began on his new two-story brick building at 714-718 Second Avenue, Martin’s home and office were located in a house just south of the site, where most of you remember seeing Tepe’s Sewing Center.

In April of 1930, it was announced that the entire second floor would be occupied by the medical offices of Drs. Xeno F Alexander and Riley M Waller.

Earl Zweig, who built the Monterey Apartments, moved his Z. Y. Electric Shop to the south storefront in the Fall of 1930.

A photography shop called Art Studios initially occupied only the north store but later expanded into the middle as well.

Sam Zygner was a photographer for Art Studios in the early 1930s and he took these lovely shots of their window displays.

Dr. Claude McCarty moved his office to the upstairs clinic in the mid-1930s. Around the same time, Keller Drug moved to the south storefront.

In the 1940s, Davis Paint Company occupied the north part of the old photo studio and the middle was taken by Lewis Equipment Company.

Around the time of Dr. McCarty’s death in 1950, the medical practice upstairs was renamed Dodge City Clinic. Dr. Richard Ohman was associated with the practice and remained in the building for many years.

Studio de Lari moved to the middle space around 1953 and the paint store became Davis-Carlson Paint and Wallpaper. Maico Hearing Aid Service was also located in the building at that time.

This parade photo was taken during the mid-1950s when excavation for the Kinney Shoes building was underway.

The Mode O’Day women’s clothing store replaced Keller Drug in the south space around 1957.

After Studio de Lari moved to their new location on West Wyatt Earp in the late 1950s, Edmisten Jewelry briefly took their old spot.

By 1961, the jewelry store was replaced by Perry Office Machines Company.

After Carlson Paint and Wallpaper also moved to West Wyatt Earp, Carol’s School of Dance occupied the north space.

Mid-Plains Finance Company (later called Home Credit Co.) replaced the dance school around 1965.

Dodge City CATV, Inc., which was incorporated all the way back in 1967, moved their offices to the building around that time.

I realize I’ll never be able to capture every business so allow me to hit the high notes, so to speak. J. C. Music had the middle space briefly during the mid-1970s.

Other establishments in the Martin Building included Cleo’s Hairstyling (later Headliners), Dottie’s Fashions, Burrows Bakery, Bird’s TV and Appliance, Shu-Mac Shoe Store, C & G Ceramics, and KC Printing.

Mi Rumba occupied the building from around 1990 to 1996 followed by Don Pancho Botas and Landeros Clothing. The Wild West Net computer store was located there around 1999 to 2000. Lupita’s Fashions shared the building with Big Round Records and Recording for a couple years.

Carnicería Santa Rosa opened up around 2003 in the two south storefronts. Sr. Sport occupied the north end but the carnicería later expanded to take up all three spots. La Centroamericana has been in the building since around 2016. The Google listing says the store is temporarily closed but they sure did catch me taking photos Sunday morning.

This is how the Martin Building looks today:

One of the things I love about writing these stories is learning that even buildings which seem a bit boring are connected to our most famous families. And something about that arch really gets me. Take a little stroll and tell me you see what I see.

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