Commerce

Commerce. Flat Branch Park. , During the early stages of Columbia's development, the Smithton Company donated land for a "Market Square" to the Boone County Commissioners. South Fourth Street, known at the time as Water Street, was no doubt created for the traffic of numerous wagons, driven to market by Boone County farmers. This market area later served as a destruction for goods shipped by boat on the Missouri River and by rail on the MKT., Some of the earliest businesses in the area included Charles Hardin's tanyard near the present site of the old MKT depot, Peter Kerney's grocery at the northeast corner of Broadway and Fifth and Abraham William's Dry Goods, at the southwest corner of that intersection. During the 1820s, two of Columbia's most prominent citizens, Dr. William Jewell and Colonel Richard Gentry, fought a battle of wills over the location of Columbia's business district. Jewell wanted commercial development to radiate from Fifth Street, while Gentry preferred commerce located to the east, nearer the new courthouse. Gentry's view prevailed, and the Flat Branch area became a secondary business district and transportation center., For many years, buildings owned by the Hetlzler Brothers, local butchers and meat distributors, dominated the landscape. In April of 1906 the brothers operated a meat packing facility, cold storage, and ice plant. In 1914, they established a family-owned meat market in a new building on Broadway. Eventually, land near the Flat Branch was used for petroleum storage terminals. Prior to 1944 the National Refining Company operated in the area. In 1950, Fred Whiteley established an oil company warehouse on the site, and then used it as a bulk terminal until 1974., In 1976 the revitalization of Flat Branch area began with the restoration of the MKT depot as a restaurant. Eventually, the Boone County Historical Society dedicated Market Square as an historic site, the City of Columbia purchased the Blind Boone home and the new Flat Branch Park was established. These events signaled a new era for the Flat Branch district as the community recognized both its historic and recreational value.