The Iron Clad Store

The Iron Clad Store. The Only Building Ever Built at the Site of Silver Cliff. , Baker and Johnson Iron Clad Store , The Iron Clad store was the only structure ever built in the town of Silver Cliff, other than tents with wooden sidewalls. Silver Cliff was the fore runner to Lusk and located on land now occupied by the Niobrara Country Club. This building was located very near Green No. 2. Owned by Ellis Johnson, the building originally housed the Baker and Johnson General store, which stocked dry goods, clothing, hardware, groceries, flour, and seed. The name, Iron Clad Store, was a result of the galvanized metal siding that was original to the structure. When the building was dismantled, the exceptional workmanship was obvious due to the use of mitered studding and evidence that the structure had withstood two floors having been worn completely through. The building was moved to the Lusk town site in 1866.,

"…August 1, 1886 what was left of the old town was all but wiped away. A storm of rain, wind and hail swept down and most of the tents were torn down and the goods they were protecting washed in mud and water or carried away in the flood. Baker and Johnson's ironclad store withstood the on-slaught and proved a haven of safety...."

, Home of the Lusk Free Lance , By 1921 the building had changed owners and became the location of the Lusk Free Lance Newspaper. This newspaper was established in 1921 and was published until 1957 when it sold to the Lusk Herald Newspaper. The Lusk Free Lance was published its entire life in this Lusk Free Lance Building. In 1972, the building sold for the final time and was dismantled. The store front and 20 feet of the original building were moved to the Stagecoach Museum and reconstructed.