OZARK VIEWS & COMMENTS
Cassville’s main drag from 10th Street going south has taken on various looks over the decades, some for the good and others that have depleted the commercial potential.
It’s still an interesting thought to remember those former contributors to our way of life, which was once called “the good life, in our own way” by one metropolitan writer. So, I’m going to start at 10th Street and head south with names and places as I recall them.
Crossing the branch The home of a pioneer family, Will Brown, which frequently flooded, is now the Dollar General, and across Main is a one-time station and quick stop, then there was Smith Florist and later a cafe that moved due to flooding, After the former Landis home (now Hutchens Construction) there was Cole Bakery, then Leonard Mitchell Tire and Recapping. Crossing the street and on the bank of Little Troublesome was Clark’s Conoco, a motel and restaurant.
Next, crossing the Cassville-Exeter Railroad tracks there was Pete Stephen’s station, then Robbie Bower’s Café, Field’s Photo, Nicoll Furniture, and closing out that block was the the pool hall, later Edmondson Food Store. The C&E Depot and Bill Smith Tire occupied the opposite side of the street.
Preddy Grocery started the next block, then came Blythe Cleaners, Edie Appliances, Main Street Barber Shop, Blythe Grocery and Dillinger’s Café, later Thelma Dowell’s Dress Shop. Across the street was the Long Bar, Pelican Liquor and then Barber’s Locker Plant and Meat Market. Leading this block was First National Bank, now Tomblin’s Jewelry.
Starting around the square, businesses included Wooten Drug with Dr. E.E. McDaniel and dentist Dr. Ingram located upstairs. Dryer’s Shoes and Riddle’s Leather Repair and Olson Beauty Salon (home of the Olsen Redheads women’s basketball team) rounded out that block.
Cassville’s Post Office has been a fixture since it replaced the Smith home, the nearby Dingler residence survived.
What started as Cassville’s municipal building with library, offices, gym and stage later became Hall Theater. This block also included offices for Rolland Meador Jewelry, Lynn Mitchell and Carl Seal, and Dr. Mary Newman. A small space housed an early fire truck. A vacant lot was used for showing of early movies on Saturday night, with the Cassville Republican housed in the Barry Hotel building. First Baptist Church has long been at the original location of Stintzi Florist and an early kindergarten by Carrie First built on the lot was Miller’s Furniture and Appliances.
Rowland’s Clothing owned by Ursula Rowland and managed by Russell Moore was in the south side corner before Hull’s OTASCO with a law office next, followed by Wilson Turner’s Shoe store and later Wiley’s Western Auto, Cassville Democrat, South Side Barber Shop, K. E. Brown Jewelry, the Music Store started by Carl and Electa Mitchell, later the Bus Station. Around the corner was Dr. Glen Horine, DDS and Doc Kisler’s Cafe and Chick Pearl’s station, later Jimmy Turner Station, now the Cassville Democrat.
Close by was Railway Ice Co., which was the site of Arthur Smith’s new First National Bank, which replaced the Irwin Hotel, a gas station and Baker-Seely Market.
West of the bank, Monett Savings and Loan was built. When the firm failed, the Chamber of Commerce was presented the property.
The east side of this location was started by a relocated Rowland’s, which had housed Murray Dodson’s Western Auto and Coone’s Grocery, which once served as a bowling alley.
Commerce Bank was part of the western area, along with the Masonic Hall (upstairs) Gambles, Thompson Furniture and Appliance, Fanning’s Department Store, Owl Drug, Dr. Salyer, J. J. Miller Drug.
Behind these businesses was LeCompte Lumber and across from there Cassville MFA. Down the street, Fisher Blacksmith operated by Otis Fisher, and nearby the Cassville Mill stood on Flat Creek.
Back at the stop intersection stoplight, Gale Cope had a grocery store and Ozark Furniture operated for years in what had been the Houn’ Ditch Inn, which was owned by Gentry German, who was immortalized in prose books “Voice of Bugle Ann” in recognition for his fame in fox hound breeding and training. On down Main St., Kenny Cowan Motors, now a flea market. Where the Sonic now stands was Charles England’s Skelly Station. Also in the area are a McDonald’s, a supermarket, replacing the Manley Courts and Thomas Dariette. In this area, Barry Electric Co-op operated for several years, later purchased by Don Carr for Fastrip and the company’s corporate headquarters.
Toward Casey’s present location, again at the west four-way stop, was the 4-Way Deli (which later became Sears) Ford Motors, a new hardware store, a bank, (which makes Cassville a significant home for six banks). In the far west area of 10th Street there are a number of businesses that have replaced Forest Products on the properties owned by Jerry Watley.
Bob Mitchell is the former editor and publisher of the Cassville Democrat. He is a 2017 inductee to both the Missouri Press Association Hall of Fame and Missouri Southern State University’s Regional Media Hall of Fame.
