Vogele & Columbia Buildings

Vogele and Columbia Buildings. . , These two story native limestone buildings were constructed in 1901. The Vogele building had a rock faced coursed ashlar finish visible below and above the two arched bays each with stone relieving round arches. A stone checkerboard pattern appeared around the bays. Decorative stonework embellished the entablature. Columns on the north extended from ground level to above the cornice line, forming decorative caps. A decorative stone cap also appeared in the center of the cornice line with a stone plaque bearing the date 1901 and the name C.E. Vogele. , H. Perlstein owned the building from 1918 until 1937 and operated a general store here. In 1919 Dr. Hazen and Dr. Gowey put in an "up to the minute" emergency hospital over Perlstein's store. It was equipped with four rooms to take care of any emergency case. Miss Pieler, an experienced nurse, was in charge. , The Columbia building was identical to the Vogele building. A decorative stone cap appeared in the center of the cornice line with the stone plaque bearing the date of 1901 and the name of J. C. Columbia. Columbia was one of the early day businessmen in the community, having made the run in 1893. In 1899 he owned the lumberyard located one block north of the courthouse square and one-half block from the post office. , He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, September 1, 1849 and was educated in the Indian Mission Schools of Kansas. In 1876 he married Miss Angeline Wright of Missouri, and they had four children, two sons and two daughters. Columbia was a member and trustee of the Methodist Church and a Royal Arch Mason and K.P. , In 1901 Columbia built a dry good, ladies' and gent's furnishings and fine footwear store. The store was among the very first in bringing to this community the latest styles and ideas. He built a forty-foot extension in 1902 to accommodate the new bowling alley of Witham and Bohrier. In 1907 this building also boasted the first electric sign on Main Street. , Due to poor maintenance the buildings had become unstable and were removed in August of 2002.