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.

If you like what you see, be sure to subscribe (way at the bottom of the post on mobile devices) to receive an email each time a new post is published and share on social media. You can also support my work by donating below. This content is 100% funded by history fanatics such as yourself. Thanks for reading!

1100 Central Avenue

Dodge City’s schools have evolved drastically since the 1870s. Before we really had our act together, overflow classes were held in churches, store buildings, and pretty much wherever there was extra space. Most of those buildings have come and gone. The Central Elementary School property is unique in that a school has been located on it continuously for nearly 140 years.

The Third Ward School at the top of Boot Hill was bursting at the seams so plans were made in February of 1886 to build a new four-room school on Division Street between what was then Railroad Avenue and Avenue A. This $10,000 building in the Second Ward was expected to be completed by June 1.

You may not be surprised to learn it was not, in fact, completed by June 1. 1886 was a big year for brick construction and there weren’t enough materials to go around. Brick work was completed in July and the contract for purchasing new furniture was approved in August of 1886.

Because the Second Ward School wasn’t ready for the start of the academic year, some students were homeschooled until they could attend classes in the new building.

The school finally opened in October of 1886. High school was held at Second Ward before the new Third Ward School was completed but it only went to tenth grade. For context, the first Dodge City High School graduation was held for three students in 1887.

The original Second Ward School was set back from Division Street with numerous trees at the south end of the building.

A lightning strike in July of 1888 caused only minimal damage. The cupola required minor repairs but because the school had no electricity in those days, no equipment was in place to be ruined.

Four rooms were added along Division Street in 1905. This required all of those beautiful trees to be removed and people were quite upset. However, the school was jam packed with kids and that was the most logical place for the addition.

The new Second Ward addition is shown here from Division Street looking northwest.

Electricity and steam heat were finally installed at Second Ward School sometime between 1911 and 1918. Unfortunately, lightning struck the school again in May of 1918. In addition to the cupola structure, the electric meter and heat regulator were damaged.

The school is shown here around 1922 from Central Avenue (changed from Railroad in 1909) looking southeast.

Severe overcrowding persisted and a successful 1926 bond election provided for the new high school on First Avenue and a Second Ward replacement. Mann and Co. of Hutchinson designed the new Central School in the Collegiate Gothic, or more broadly, Gothic Revival style.

Plans included 15 grade rooms and one kindergarten room. This was unique because Central was the first school in Dodge City to implement the kindergarten concept. The school was designed to accommodate 600 students. A gymnatorium extended eastward from the back of the building with a seating capacity of approximately 1,200.

Contracts totaling $127,255 were awarded in April of 1927 with hopes of the new building being ready before school started in the Fall. That was completely unrealistic and by November, only four classrooms were ready: one kindergarten, two first grade, and one second grade. As a result, only half-day sessions were held until the building was completed in November of 1927. Demolition of the Second Ward School began that same month.

Central School’s north entrance is shown here from Oak Street looking southeast.

In the beginning, Central School had no dedicated library. Books were initially stored in the principal’s office and later on a moving cart to be delivered to the classrooms. Later on, students and teachers created a more permanent space in the south end of the upper hallway. A proper school library was established in February of 1934.

In December of 1956, arsonists gained entry in the southeast area of the school. One fire was set in a trash can under a teacher’s desk in the southwest area of the building, causing severe damage to that classroom. A similar fire was set in a classroom near the point of entry but only the trash can was damaged in that room.

Hot meals were served at Central beginning around 1969. At that time, they were shipped over from the high school. A school kitchen was completed shortly after the hot lunch program began. It appears to have been added to the north end of the cafeteria at the back of the building.

Although Central was built to accommodate 600 students, that wasn’t nearly enough. Modular classrooms were added at the south end of the property along Division and those structures came with problems of their own. Leaky roofs and mold problems around 2008 displaced students for about a year.

The district started buying adjacent lots around 2010 to prepare for possible expansion. That process continued for six or seven years while public meetings were held to determine the wants and needs of the community. Expansion plans were approved in April of 2016 to build a new gym and cafeteria, kitchen, music rooms, storage, restrooms, and offices. The old gym was converted into a library and office space. Several old homes were removed. The block of Division between Central and Avenue A was vacated in addition to alley right of way south of Division for parking.

An open house was held on August 12, 2018 with the work mostly completed. The office remodel and playground would be completed soon after.

This is how Central School looks today:

The school district did an amazing job of matching materials. In the past, new additions were just tacked on to historic structures with jarring results. Central is a beautiful school. The windows are beautiful. The landscaping is beautiful. That tile roof creates major headaches and I am so grateful that it was not only kept but is being maintained. We’ve lost some historic schools in this town and we should be thanking our lucky stars Central isn’t one of them.

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209-211 S Second Ave

I know I say this all the time, but I have a weird obsession with this building. Going to school every day, I would stare and wonder why it looked the way it did. Like a lot of buildings on South Second, its awning was rotting and some of its windows had been covered over. Never in a million years would I have guessed this place had been a Lincoln dealership!

The lots at 209-211 South Second were residential until the 1940s. After the homes were either moved or demolished, an agency called RTS Commission Sales Co. sold used cars on the lots.

Edward J Farlow of Kinsley opened a new Lincoln-Mercury dealership and garage at 312 South Second on December 20, 1948. This would be where GMC of Dodge City is today.

Farlow Motor Company sold their used cars one block north on the opposite side of the street at 211 South Second.

A few months later, construction began on a new brick dealership at the used car lot measuring 70 by 115 feet with a curved front.

Hundreds of visitors attended Farlow’s open house the weekend of August 5-6, 1949.

A large concrete block addition to be constructed at the rear of the building for a body shop, paint room, and upholstery area was approved in November of 1949.

Lester Durr and Marcus Meng bought the dealership in March of 1952 and it became known as Durr-Meng Motor Co.

Durr-Meng Motor Co. is shown here with curbside parking on South Second.

However, the partnership was short lived, and the dealership held a quitting business auction on June 5, 1956.

The building sat idle for about a year. In May of 1957, the Southwest Kansas Art Association held a “Rockhound Roundup” for rock collectors at the former Durr-Meng garage. Goff Auto Auction began advertising at that location the following month.

In 1958, Harold and Maxine Houff moved their implement company into the former dealership.

Due to the various additions, there was plenty of space so D. V. Lippoldt reopened his appliance business in the showroom area.

Floyd Smith’s body shop was located in an addition out back. Hawley Brothers also had their showroom in the building at that time.

The B.F. Goodrich store moved to the old dealership in November of 1959. They didn’t just sell automotive parts and accessories in those days. You could also pick up Kelvinator and Sunbeam appliances as well as Motorola televisions and Schwinn bicycles.

By 1961, C & W Motor Service had one of the back shops and another was occupied by Dave’s Kustoms. While Dave Parks was a legend in the automotive world, he was also a gifted guitarist and just a fascinating man.

The showroom interior is shown here as flood water receded in June of 1965.

Clingan Tires, Inc. of Liberal bought the Goodrich store in March of 1973.

Clingan moved around 1976 and it sort of became a revolving door. There was a woodworking business and a Volkswagen repair shop. Mr. B’s Bargain Barn Auction and Sales Co. operated there and it was also a warehouse for Rent-Buy Furniture in the late 1970s.

Carpet Barn occupied the building in the early 1980s and it also housed a home improvement company in 1985.

The old dealership appears to have been used for storage until around 2004, when Brad Maxwell Racing Products had the showroom and main shop. Pineda’s Auto Repair and Security Communications also had space at the facility. New Hope on the Plains used the building briefly around 2008.

BJ’s Auto Service and Repair moved in around 2010. By 2018, the brick had been painted and windows restored. Discount Auto Sales Truck and Equipment Division has used the building for the past several years.

This is how Durr-Meng Motor Co. looks today:

You already know I hate painted brick. However, it still looks amazing compared to the 1980s and ’90s. I love that curved wall and the whole mid-century automotive aesthetic. It’s a great building and I’m so happy to see it being used.

If you like what you see, be sure to subscribe (way at the bottom of the post on mobile devices) to receive an email each time a new post is published and share on social media. You can also support my work by donating below. This content is 100% funded by history fanatics such as yourself. Thanks for reading!