Harrisonville Telephone Company

Harrisonville Telephone Company. Waterloo, Monroe Co., Ill., Laid out in 1818. , 213 South Main Street , Became the headquarters of Harrisonville Telephone Company in 1905 when the Company moved in, occupying one-fourth of the building. At that time, the remaining space was apartments., As Harrisonville Telephone Company grew, by the early 1960’s the Company occupied the entire building and in 1969 occupied the second floor of 211 South Main Street as well., In 1979, Harrisonville Telephone Company took occupancy of most of the space at 211 South Main Street and the entire building by 1985. In 1992, the Company acquired all of the property from 211 South Main to 201 South Main and in 1993 razed the entire block to make way for the corporate offices of Harrisonville Telephone Company, 213 South Main Street., 211 South Main Street , In 1852, there was a grocery store known as Heer’s store at this address. It became the home of Schulmeister’s Bakery in 1907 when E. Fred and Clara Schulmeister relocated to this address. The building served as a bakery, with a coal fired oven, and the residence of the Schulmeister family., Upon the passing of the Schulmeisters, the bakery continued to operate as Waterloo Bakery, owned by F. Robert Schulmeister and Clara Schulmeister Gentsch., Schulmeister’s was famous for many things, but most famous for their peanut cake and their penny candy counter., Upon the retirement of Robert in December 1975, Clara continued to operate the bakery until closing on December 31, 1978., 209 South Main Street , This address was the North East corner of the Schulmeister Bakery building. In 1932 or earlier, it was rented to Joe Sommers Barber Shop. Joe also served as the Justice of the Peace. This subsequently became Sylvester “Tuts” Rippelmeyer’s Barber Shop until 1964 when Art Kruse began to operate as Art’s Barber Shop until 1978. In 1979, it became the law offices of Thebus and Huetsch Attorneys and from 1980-1984, the law office of John M. (Jay) Huetsch. Harrisonville Telephone Company took occupancy in 1985., 205-207 South Main Street , Prior to 1947, the Myers sisters operated a dry goods business at this location. In 1947, Joseph Tucker and his family moved into the connected residence and re-opened the business as Tucker’s Dry Goods and continued the business until about 1966 when it was closed., Following a gas explosion on Mill Street in April 1966 which destroyed the building occupied by Ziebold Home Utilities, this business relocated to 205 South Main Street and continued to operate until closing in December 1988., In 1989, R.A. Miller Insurance and Monroe Realty began operating from this address., 201-203 South Main Street , During the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, John Moeller operated a Cobbler Shop at this location. Later it became O.A. Robyn’s Confectionery., After purchasing the property in 1919, Otis J. Rexroth changed the name to Rex’s Confectionary and operated continually until his retirement in 1966., Rex’s was separated into two different styles of bars: one of which was for people of all ages and included a soda fountain and homemade ice cream that he prepared daily, and the other with beer and hard liquor for adults. Rex’s was known for its hamburgers and it was the place to be when it snowed. The City of Waterloo would block off Third Street and allow people to sled ride from Rex’s to the light plant now located on Route 3., For a period of time Rex’s Confectionary was in operation, the top floor housed a photography studio, 203 South Main Street, operated by Glen Fults. After Fults Studio relocated, the space became an apartment., Following Rex’s retirement in 1966, the business continued to operate as Rex’s Corner by several proprietors. It was also known as “Mary Jo’s Cafe” in the 1980’s.