Monumental Memories

Monumental Memories. The Lewman Store Building - circa 1940. Street celebrations and parades were very common in the past and much better attended than some are today. In the picture of what is now Red Yeti, you will notice that the crowd has assembled in front of an Army Surplus store. Post World War II, army supplies from the Quartermaster Depot were liquidated and many stores purchased these surplus items for a deep discount with the goal to resell them to the general public. The Lewman's building has had many businesses come and go. These businesses include a doctor's office, a pharmacy, an undertaker/embalmer as well as an antique store., Look closely at the photograph in the middle and see if you can find the flying bicycle! This was a creative way to advertise for the bicycle repair store within. The building directly south of the bicycle shop is the old Elk's Building. The Elks were a fraternal organization in town whose mission was charitable and through their donations, they made communities stronger, educated children and ensured that widows and orphans were supported. There were many fraternal organizations in Jeffersonville whose meeting rooms were on the upper floors of downtown buildings. Some of these organizations included the International Order of Odd Fellows, the Masons, the Knights of Columbus and the Fraternal Order of Police. The members of these organizations could buy insurance at low rates with benefits going to the survivors. This system encouraged personal responsibility before government welfare was created., Cast your eyes across the street at our lovely Glossbrenner Garden. This garden was once the site of the first “sky scraper” four story building in Jeffersonville. If you look closely at the third picture above, the building to the left is the side of the “sky scraper” also known as the Louis Building. The sky scraper met its fate in 1940. It was torn down and an appliance store called Ehringer's was erected in its place. That building met the same fate. The space is now our beautiful Glossbrenner Garden. The other building in that picture is the Grisamore House, built in 1837 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was originally intended to be a block long row house.