The Kellum and Rotan Building

The Kellum and Rotan Building. . , Kellum and Rotan, Wholesale Grocers , Originally based in East Waco on the opposite side of the Brazos River from downtown Waco, W. R. Kellum established his wholesale grocery business and employed Edward Rotan there. Within two months, Rotan was a partner in this company that sold a little of everything., In 1882, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad (known by locals as the Katy) crossed the river into Waco. That same year, Kellum and Rotan moved their business to the corner of 5th and Jackson taking advantage of the Katy to receive goods and quickly turn them around to their local customers., Transformations , During the next 50 years, the building was repurposed several times. In 1953, the building suffered damage during the F5 tornado that struck downtown Waco. The storm destroyed the building's second floor which was replaced with a ground floor addition. It continued to function as a wholesale grocery business with various owners. In the 1960s it became storage for grain. In 1985, local food pantry and social services agency, Caritas, moved in., New Life , In 2001, the Dr Pepper Museum purchased the building from Caritas. In 2007, the Museum completed a new collections and archives storage center in the building. Administrative offices, education center, and boardroom were completed in 2011 with expansions for exhibits, gift shop, and soda fountain in 2016., Captions , (Photo #1) William R. Kellum was born in Alabama in 1818. He and his father moved their families to McLennan County, Texas in 1854. He quickly acquired land. By 1874 he had one of the largest and most valuable estates on the Brazos River and branched out into the wholesale grocery business. Image courtesy of the Lee Lockwood Scottish Rite Library and Museum , (Photo #2) Edward Rotan was born in Tennessee in 1844. After the Civil War, he moved to Waco and taught school for several years. While partnering with W. R. Kellum in the wholesale grocery business, he established profitable connections in the Waco community. He served on the board of directors for First National Bank and eventually as President from 1892-1920. Image courtesy of the Texas Collection, Baylor University , (Photo #3) The front of the building after its restoration in 2011. , (Photo #4) LEFT: Here you can see the damage done by the 1953 Waco tornado. Photograph by Thomas Tunier, Image Courtesy of the Texas Collection, Baylor University , (Photo #5) BELOW: After Kellum's death, Rotan continued the wholesale grocory company for a number of years. Eventually it became the Shear Company and then later The Cooper Comparty owned the building. Image Courtesy of the Red Men Museum and Library